Court in Russia Rejects Appeal for Temporary Detention Extension of Alsu Kormashova

The Supreme Court of Tatarstan rejected the appeal of Alsu Kormashova, a imprisoned journalist of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, against the decision to extend her temporary detention. Judge Rizvan Yusupov on Tuesday, June 18, confirmed last month's decision by the Sovetsky District Court in Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan, to extend her detention at least until August 5 (August 15). Kormashova, a journalist based in Prague with dual American and Russian citizenship, has been in detention in Russia since October 18, 2023, on charges of violating the law known as 'foreign agent' and 'spreading false information about the Russian army,' charges that could lead to 10 years in prison. Kormashova and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty deny these charges. In her last court session on May 31, she stated that her health condition is deteriorating and she needs surgery. She also mentioned that the last time she heard her two daughters' voices was in October 2023. Kormashova, who has worked for the Tatar-Bashkir service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty for about 25 years, left Prague in mid-May 2023 due to a family emergency in her hometown, Tatarstan. Reporters Without Borders stated that Russia has kept Alsu Kormashova in inhumane conditions for six months. On June 2, 2023, she was briefly detained at Kazan Airport while waiting for her return flight, and both her passports and mobile phone were confiscated. After five months of waiting for a decision on her case, Kormashova was fined 10,000 rubles (112 dollars) for failing to register her American passport with Russian authorities. Due to lacking travel documents, Kormashova was unable to leave Russia and was re-arrested in October, this time accused of failing to register as a 'foreign agent.' Two months later, she was also charged with 'spreading false information about the Russian army.' The U.S. government and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty state that these charges are punitive measures against Kormashova for her work as a journalist. On June 17, Matthew Miller, spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, reiterated previous statements by senior U.S. officials, including President Joe Biden, calling for Kormashova's immediate release by Russia. However, he did not explain why Washington has not yet recognized Kormashova as an 'unlawfully detained' individual, a designation that would highlight the political motivations behind her case. Two other American citizens detained in Russia - Evan Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal reporter, and Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine, have been recognized as unlawfully detained. In response to a question about recognizing Kormashova as an 'unlawfully detained' individual, Miller stated, 'We believe she should be released. I cannot speak to any official decision at this time. But we have been completely transparent regarding her case and what we think about it.' Analysts and Western officials accuse Russia of targeting American citizens for detention for potential use in prisoner exchanges or for other geopolitical purposes.