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The Russian authorities have detained an editor working for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, an American broadcaster funded by the US authorities, on prices of failing to register as a “overseas agent,” the media firm stated on Thursday.
The editor, Alsu Kurmasheva, who holds each Russian and United States citizenship, is the second American journalist to be detained in Russia this yr. In March, Russian particular providers detained Evan Gershkovich, a Russia correspondent for The Wall Road Journal, on espionage prices, which he and The Journal have denied. He stays in a high-security jail in Moscow awaiting trial.
Ms. Kurmasheva’s detention, in Kazan, a significant metropolis about 500 miles east of Moscow, is more likely to additional elevate suspicions that the Kremlin now views Americans on its soil as high-profile belongings that may be traded for high-value Russians held in United States custody.
“One other hostage has been taken,” Dmitri Kozelev, a distinguished Russian journalist, stated in his channel on the Telegram messaging app.
In its assertion concerning the detention, RFE/RL’s performing president referred to as Ms. Kurmasheva “a extremely revered colleague, devoted spouse and devoted mom to 2 kids.”
“She must be launched so she will return to her household instantly,” the president, Jeffrey Gedmin, stated within the assertion.
The Russian authorities haven’t issued any assertion concerning the arrest.
Ms. Kurmasheva lives in Prague together with her husband and kids, RFE/RL stated. In Might, she traveled to Kazan on “a household emergency.” About two weeks later, whereas making an attempt to board a returning flight, she was briefly detained and fined for failing to formally notify the Russian authorities about her United States citizenship.
Her American and Russian passports had been confiscated at the moment. In response to the assertion, she was awaiting their return when the brand new prices had been introduced on Wednesday.
If convicted, Ms. Kurmasheva might be sentenced to as much as 5 years in jail, RFE/RL stated.
Beneath Russian legislation, people and organizations receiving funding from overseas and engaged in loosely outlined political exercise should register as overseas brokers or face prosecution. The legislation, handed in 2012, has been criticized by rights teams as a political device utilized by the Russian authorities to suppress dissent and stigmatize perceived critics of the Kremlin.
Dmitri Anisimov, a spokesman for OVD-Information, a Russian rights group, stated that the group anticipated a court docket to place Ms. Kurmasheva in pretrial detention, making her the primary particular person ever arrested on prices of violating the overseas brokers laws.
Tatar-Information, a Russian information company, reported that Russian investigators believed Ms. Kurmasheva had been accumulating details about the mobilization of Russian college lecturers into the military, one thing that would then be used to discredit the nation.
RFE/RL stated that Ms. Kurmasheva had been protecting ethnic minority communities in Tatarstan and Bashkortostan, two Russian areas the place teams of individuals have sought higher autonomy from Moscow.
Anatoly Kurmanaev contributed reporting.
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