The pre-trial custody of US-Russian journalist Alsu Kurmasheva, who was detained on Friday by a Russian court after she neglected to register as a “foreign agent,” was prolonged until February 5, according to her employer.
Russian-American citizen Kurmasheva was being held by law enforcement in the Russian city of Kazan in October when she was employed by the US-funded media organization Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL).
RFE/RL said on Friday that “a Kazan court extended the detention of Radio Liberty journalist Alsu Kurmasheva until February 5, 2024.”
She is the second American journalist detained in Russia this year as Moscow escalates its campaign against the West while waging war on the Ukrainian people.
The pre-trial custody of Wall Street Journal writer Evan Gershkovich, who was detained earlier this week on suspicion of espionage, was prolonged by a Moscow court.
Kurmasheva was accused of neglecting to register as a “foreign agent.” Kurmasheva resides in Prague with her spouse and two kids.
She and Gershkovich refute the accusations made against them.
If found guilty, Kurmasheva may spend up to five years in prison. Her employer and attorneys have demanded that she be released right now.
Russia has implemented a broad crackdown on independent media outlets operating within the nation, utilizing contentious “foreign agents” legislation.
The laws mandate that entities and people classified as “foreign agents,” a phrase with echoes of Soviet espionage, identify themselves in all of their publications and provide the Russian government with reports on their operations.
In addition, it mandates that every Russian national involved in any activity endangering Russia’s “national security” self-register.
Kurmasheva’s passports were first seized in June when she went to Russia for a family emergency; she was detained in October.
The US State Department should label Kurmasheva as “wrongfully detained,” according to a call made on Wednesday by the Committee to Protect Journalists. This would lead to increased diplomatic efforts in Washington to achieve Kurmasheva’s release.
Russia has come under fire for allegedly arbitrarily detaining US citizens in order to exchange them for Russians imprisoned in the US.
