Imprisoned Journalist in Russia Accused of Spreading False News About the Army

On Tuesday, December 12, Russian authorities leveled new charges against a journalist from Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty who has been detained in the country since October. According to official media reports in Russia, Alsu Kormashova, an American-Russian citizen, has been accused of spreading false news about the Russian army. Ms. Kormashova, an editor at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty based in Prague, previously faced charges of 'failing to register as a foreign agent.' She and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty deny this charge, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. According to the state news agency Tatar-Inform in the Republic of Tatarstan, if Alsu Kormashova is found guilty of 'spreading false news,' she could face an additional ten years in prison. Jeffrey Gedmin, the head of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, stated, 'We strongly condemn the Russian authorities' decision, which is clearly aimed at bringing further charges against Alsu.' Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, like Voice of America, is an independent media outlet funded by the U.S. Congress. The accusation of fake news relates to the publication of a book by the Tatar-Bashkir service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, in which, according to researchers, Alsu Kormashova participated in its distribution. Mr. Gedmin said, 'Journalism is not a crime,' emphasizing that 'the time has come for this cruel harassment and torture to end.' He added, 'Alsu has spent 56 days unjustly in detention and has been separated from her family.' Press freedom advocacy groups have criticized the new charges against Ms. Kormashova. Clayton Weimers, executive director of the U.S. office of Reporters Without Borders, stated, 'The new charges against Alsu Kormashova reveal the Kremlin's true motivation for targeting her: criminalizing independent journalism.' Press freedom groups, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, and lawmakers in the United States have called on the State Department to officially declare that Alsu Kormashova has been unlawfully detained to open the way for utilizing more resources to assist in her release. The United States has stated that Evan Gershkovich, a journalist for the Wall Street Journal who has been imprisoned in Russia, was wrongfully detained. Mr. Gershkovich, who was arrested in March, has been accused of espionage, which he, the Wall Street Journal, and the U.S. government deny. A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department previously told Voice of America that 'the circumstances surrounding the detention of U.S. citizens abroad, including in Russia, are continuously reviewed to identify any signs of wrongful detention.' Alsu Kormashova, who lived in Prague, traveled to Russia for family reasons. Her passports were seized upon her exit from Russia in June, and she was awaiting the return of her passports until her arrest in October. The Supreme Court of the Republic of Tatarstan confirmed on Tuesday that Ms. Kormashova's temporary detention will be extended at least until February 4. According to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, a number of civil activists in Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan, protested on Sunday, December 10, against the Kremlin's crackdown on independent journalists, including Ms. Kormashova. One of the placards at this demonstration read: 'Alsu Kormashova is a journalist, not a criminal.'