RFE/RL Journalist Accused of Spreading False News About Russian Military Now Facing Additional Charges

Russian authorities have levied additional charges against Alsu Kurmasheva, a U.S.-Russian journalist who has been detained since October. According to Kremlin-backed media, Kurmasheva, a Prague-based editor at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), is now accused of spreading false news about the Russian military. This new charge comes on top of her initial charge of failing to register as a foreign agent. If convicted of spreading false news, Kurmasheva could face an additional 10 years in prison, in addition to the maximum sentence of five years for failing to register. The accusations are related to the distribution of a book by RFE/RL’s Tatar-Bashkir Service in 2022, which focused on Russians opposing the invasion of Ukraine. RFE/RL, along with various press freedom groups and U.S. lawmakers, has condemned the charges, calling for Kurmasheva’s immediate release. The U.S. State Department has been urged to declare her wrongful detention, which would trigger additional resources to help secure her release. Russian journalist Evan Gershkovich, a reporter for the American Wall Street Journal, has already been declared wrongfully detained by the U.S. government. Kurmasheva’s pretrial detention has been extended until at least February 4, and activists in Kazan, Tatarstan, have recently staged protests against the Kremlin’s crackdown on independent journalists.