The Russian authorities have detained an editor working for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, an American broadcaster funded by the United States authorities, on expenses of failing to register as a “foreign agent,” the media firm mentioned 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 Russian correspondent for The Wall Street Journal, on espionage expenses, 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 increase suspicions that the Kremlin now views American residents on its soil as high-profile belongings that may be traded for high-value Russians held in United States custody.
“Another hostage has been taken,” Dmitri Kozelev, a outstanding Russian journalist, mentioned in his channel on the Telegram messaging app.
In its assertion concerning the detention, RFE/RL’s appearing president described her as “a highly respected colleague, devoted wife and dedicated mother to two children.”
“She needs to be released so she can return to her family immediately,” the president, Jeffrey Gedmin, mentioned within the assertion.
The Russian authorities haven’t issued any assertion concerning the arrest.
News of Ms. Kurmasheva’s detention got here as Russia’s international minister, Sergei V. Lavrov, was in Pyongyang, the place he met with Choe Son-hui, North Korea’s international minister. During the assembly, Mr. Lavrov mentioned that Russia admired North Korea’s “principled and unwavering support” of Moscow’s actions in Ukraine. He mentioned the United States was inciting a disaster in Ukraine in addition to different components of the world, together with the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific, in response to a press release from Mr. Lavrov on the finish of the go to.
Ms. Kurmasheva lives in Prague along with her husband and kids, RFE/RL mentioned. In May, she traveled to Kazan on “a family emergency.” About two weeks later, whereas attempting 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 have been confiscated at the moment. According to the assertion, she was awaiting their return when the brand new expenses have been introduced on Wednesday.
If convicted, Ms. Kurmasheva may very well be sentenced to as much as 5 years in jail, RFE/RL mentioned.
Under Russian legislation, people and organizations receiving funding from overseas and engaged in loosely outlined political exercise should register as international brokers or face prosecution. The legislation, handed in 2012, has been criticized by rights teams as a political instrument utilized by the Russian authorities to suppress dissent and stigmatize perceived critics of the Kremlin.
Dmitri Anisimov, a spokesman for OVD-Info, a Russian rights group, mentioned that the group anticipated a court docket to place Ms. Kurmasheva in pretrial detention, making her the primary particular person ever arrested on expenses of violating the international brokers laws.
Tatar-Info, a Russian news company, reported that Russian investigators believed Ms. Kurmasheva had been gathering details about the mobilization of Russian college lecturers into the military, one thing that would then be used to discredit the nation.
Russia’s state tv mentioned in its report concerning the arrest that almost all of Ms. Kurmasheva’s articles had been “dictated” by foreigners.
RFE/RL mentioned 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.
After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Ms. Kurmasheva edited a ebook referred to as “No to War” that featured tales of 40 Russians who opposed the invasion.
Anatoly Kurmanaev contributed reporting.
Source: www.nytimes.com