Russian Court Denies RFE/RL Journalist’s Pretrial Detention Appeal

A Russian court on Tuesday denied the appeal filed by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty journalist Alsu Kurmasheva against her pretrial detention on charges of failing to register as a foreign agent.     

Kurmahseva’s lawyer had requested pretrial restrictions for the journalist other than placement in pretrial detention, but the Supreme Court of Russia’s Republic of Tatarstan denied the appeal. Last week, a district court ordered her to be held in pretrial detention until at least December 5.  

Kurmasheva participated in Tuesday’s closed-door hearing via video link from a detention center in Kazan, Tatarstan’s capital. The Prague-based journalist faces up to five years in prison for violating the country’s “foreign agent” law, which Moscow typically uses to target critical journalists and activists.  

Kurmasheva and RFE/RL deny the charges against her.  

A dual U.S.-Russian national who works with RFE/RL’s Tatar-Bashkir Service, Kurmasheva traveled to Russia in May for a family emergency. Her passports were confiscated when she tried to leave the country in June.    

She was waiting for her passports to be returned when she was detained on October 18.  

Jeffrey Gedmin, acting president of VOA’s sister outlet RFE/RL, has condemned Kurmasheva’s arrest as politically motivated and retaliation over her work.  

“Journalism is not a crime. She must be released to her family immediately,” Gedmin said. 

The Russian Embassy in Washington did not immediately reply to VOA’s email requesting comment.    

Kurmasheva is the second American journalist to be jailed in Russia this year.  

Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich has been held in a Moscow prison since March on espionage charges that he, his employer and the U.S. government deny.  

Human rights and press freedom groups and U.S. officials have widely called for Kurmasheva and Gershkovich to be immediately released.  
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