A Russian court on Friday ordered to extend the detention of an American-Russian journalist by two months until August 5, after she was charged with failure to register as a foreign agent. Alsu Kurmasheva’s hearing was held on May 31 when the decision was made. According to local media reports, she was denied house arrest.
Kurmasheva is a journalist for RadioFreeEurope Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) and is a dual US and Russian citizen. She was detained in October 2023 after she failed to disclose that she holds a US passport in compliance with Russia’s laws on foreign agents. Kurmasheva is charged under Part 3 of Article 330.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation:
Failure to fulfill the obligation established by the legislation of the Russian Federation to submit to the authorized body the documents necessary for inclusion in the register of foreign agents, committed by a person carrying out the targeted collection of information in the field of military, military-technical activities of the Russian Federation, which, if received by foreign sources, can be used against the security of the Russian Federation.
Kurmasheva is also charged under Part 2(e) of Article 207.3 for distributing a book called “No to War. 40 Stories of Russians Opposing the Invasion of Ukraine”.
In an interview with RFE/RL, Kurmasheva says that due to her health, she is in need of medical attention. She says that she may even need surgery, although she has not yet made an application for this. She told RFE/RL that she is not permitted to speak with her children through calls or correspondence and can only receive letters from them which arrive every six weeks. When asked about her health, she said it is getting worse, that she is now in a larger cell and that the medical care she needs can’t be provided in prison.
Kurmasheva’s husband said on X (formerly Twitter)
Today, June 2, marks one year since Alsu was detained at Kazan airport and prevented from returning to her family in Europe after a two-week stay in Russia […] The Russian authorities had known for many years that Alsu was an RFE/RL journalist and an American citizen […] The US State Department still can’t decide whether Alsu’s detention in Russia for her work at a congressionally funded, editorially independent news organization is wrongful. We can’t expect justice from the Russian justice system. Alsu and her family rely on the US government to mobilize the resources necessary to secure her safe release from wrongful detention in Russia.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) called for Kurmasheva’s immediate release. CPJ’s Europe and Central Asia program coordinator, Gulnoza Said, said:
Kurmasheva has spent more than seven months behind bars for no reason except her work, and she must be freed at once. Russian authorities must immediately grant Kurmasheva consular access, provide her with appropriate medical care, drop all charges against her, and release her. Meanwhile, US authorities should not delay any longer Kurmasheva’s designation as ‘wrongfully detained’ and ensure her swift release.
