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A Russian court has sentenced Alsu Kurmasheva, a veteran journalist for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) who holds dual U.S.-Russian citizenship, to 6 1/2 years in prison on charges that have been deemed politically motivated by her, her employer, the U.S. government, and her supporters.
The court found Kurmasheva guilty of spreading falsehoods about the Russian military after a secret trial held in the city of Kazan on July 19. The President and CEO of RFE/RL, Stephen Capus, condemned the trial and conviction as a “mockery of justice” and called for her immediate release from prison.
Kurmasheva, who was arrested in Kazan in October, was charged with failing to register as a “foreign agent” under a Russian law targeting journalists, civil society activists, and others. She also faces up to 10 years in prison for spreading false information about the Russian military.
Both RFE/RL and the U.S. government have denounced the charges as retaliation for Kurmasheva’s work as a journalist for the broadcaster in Prague. U.S. State Department spokesman, Matthew Miller, reiterated that journalism is not a crime and called for Kurmasheva’s release.
The verdict against Kurmasheva coincided with the guilty verdict handed down to Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich on espionage charges in Yekaterinburg. The White House stated that Gershkovich was targeted for being a journalist and an American, echoing the sentiment expressed for Kurmasheva.
While Gershkovich and another American, Paul Whelan, have been designated by the U.S. government as “wrongfully detained,” Kurmasheva has not received the same designation. This designation would elevate her case to the office of the special envoy for hostage affairs in the U.S. State Department, increasing efforts to secure her release.
The U.S. National Press Club and other media freedom groups have urged President Joe Biden to recognize Kurmasheva as “wrongfully detained” and to prioritize her release. Despite this call, the Biden administration has not officially designated Kurmasheva as such.
Kurmasheva is one of four RFE/RL journalists currently imprisoned for their work, with rights groups and RFE/RL advocating for their release. The other three journalists, Ihar Losik, Andrey Kuznechyk, and Vladyslav Yesypenko, have all faced harsh sentences related to their journalism work in Belarus and Ukraine.
The cases of these journalists highlight the ongoing challenges faced by media professionals in Russia and the importance of defending press freedom and the right to free expression.
