American Journalist Detained in Russia for Failing to Register as “Foreign Agent”

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American Journalist Detained in Russia for Failing to Register as “Foreign Agent”

A Russian-American reporter for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) has been detained in Russia and accused of failing to register as a “foreign agent,” according to her employer and a journalists’ protection group. Alsu Kurmasheva, who is an editor at the Tatar-Bashkir service of the station funded by the United States Congress, was detained in Russia and is currently being held by the Russian regime. RFE/RL’s acting president, Jeffrey Gedmin, has called for her immediate release so that she can return to her family.

This is not the first case of an American journalist being held by Russia in recent months. Evan Gershkovich, a reporter for the Wall Street Journal, has been detained since March under accusations of espionage. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), based in New York, has stated that the detention of Kurmasheva is further evidence of Russia’s determination to suppress independent reporting.

According to a statement from the CPJ, Kurmasheva lives in Prague, Czech Republic, but had entered Russia on May 20 due to a family emergency. On June 2, she was temporarily detained at the Kazan airport before her return flight, where both her U.S. and Russian passports were confiscated. She was also fined for not registering her U.S. document with local authorities. While awaiting the return of her passports, the indictment against her was announced. If convicted, she could face up to five years in prison.

RFE/RL had previously announced the cessation of its activities in Russia after the outbreak of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, following the approval of a law that imposed stricter penalties for “spreading false information.” The organization then started reporting on Russia from outside the country. In March, a Moscow court declared the radio corporation’s operations in Russian territory bankrupt due to the company’s refusal to pay substantial fines for non-compliance with the foreign agents law. According to RFE/RL’s website, the economic sanctions imposed by the Russian Justice Department exceeded one billion rubles (12.5 million euros).

It is important to note that another American journalist detained by Russia, Evan Gershkovich, had his appeal rejected by a Russian court on October 10. Gershkovich has been held in the Lefortovo prison in Moscow since his detention on March 29. Russia has yet to present any evidence of the accusations against him, and the entire process remains under summary secrecy.

The CPJ has expressed deep concern over the charges against Kurmasheva and called on Russian authorities to immediately release her and drop all charges. The American embassy in Moscow has also voiced its disappointment over the dismissal of Gershkovich’s appeal and demanded his release.

As the international community continues to condemn Russia’s crackdown on press freedom, the fate of these American journalists remains uncertain. Journalism should not be treated as a crime, and it is crucial for democratic values that journalists can work freely and without fear of persecution.