The pre-trial detention of journalist Alsu Kurmasheva has been extended by a Russian court until June 5, according to her employer Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL).
Arrested last year in Kazan, Russia, the 47-year-old Prague-based editor faces charges for failing to register as a “foreign agent” and spreading “false information” under censorship laws enacted after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
During her court appearance in Kazan, Kurmasheva expressed dissatisfaction with the poor conditions of her cell, as reported by an Agence France-Presse journalist.
Kurmasheva, who holds both US and Russian passports, traveled to Russia in May to attend to a family emergency. She was detained on June 2 at an airport while waiting for her return flight, and her passports were confiscated.
Court documents reveal that she was fined 10,000 roubles ($108) in October for failing to register her US passport with Russian authorities.
RFE/RL, funded by the United States Congress, is designated by Russia as a foreign agent due to receiving foreign funding for political activities.
In 2022, Kurmasheva edited a book titled Saying No to War, featuring interviews and stories from Russians opposed to Moscow’s campaign against Ukraine.
Following the publication of the book, Russian investigators opened a new case against Kurmasheva in December, accusing her of spreading false information about the Russian army.
The charge for failing to register as a foreign agent carries up to five years in prison, while spreading false information has a maximum sentence of 15 years.
‘Baseless’ charges
RFE/RL has condemned her imprisonment as “outrageous” and stated that she has been detained “simply because she holds an American passport”.
“The charges against Alsu are baseless. It’s not a legal process. It’s a political ploy, and Alsu and her family are unjustifiably paying a…
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