Two Russian journalists had been arrested by their authorities on costs of “extremism” and ordered by courts on Saturday to stay in custody pending an investigation and trial over accusations of working for a bunch based by the late Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny.
Konstantin Gabov and Sergey Karelin denied the fees for which they are going to be detained for at least two months earlier than the trial begins. Every faces a minimal of two years in jail and a most of six years for alleged “participation in an extremist group,” in keeping with Russian courts.
They’re simply the newest journalists to be arrested amid a Russian authorities crackdown on dissent and impartial media that intensified after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine greater than two years in the past. The Russian authorities handed legal guidelines criminalizing what it considers false details about the army, or statements seen as discrediting the army, successfully banning any criticism of the battle in Ukraine or speech that deviates from the official narrative.
A journalist for the Russian version of Forbes journal, Sergei Mingazov, was detained on costs of spreading false details about the Russian army, his lawyer mentioned Friday.
Gabov and Karelin are accused of getting ready supplies for a YouTube channel run by Navalny’s Basis for Combating Corruption, which has been banned by Russian authorities. Navalny died in an Arctic penal colony in February.
Gabov, detained in Moscow, is a contract producer who has labored for a number of organizations, together with Reuters, the courtroom’s press service reported. Reuters had no instant touch upon the courtroom ruling.
Karelin, who has twin citizenship with Israel, was detained on Friday night time within the Murmansk area of northern Russia.
Karelin, 41, has labored for a number of media retailers, together with The Related Press. He was a cameraman for the German media outlet Deutsche Welle till the Kremlin banned the outlet from working in Russia in February 2022.
“The Related Press may be very involved in regards to the detention of Russian video journalist Sergey Karelin,” the AP mentioned in an announcement. “We’re searching for extra info.”
Russia’s crackdown on dissent targets opposition figures, journalists, activists, members of the LGBTQ+ neighborhood and extraordinary Russians who criticize the Kremlin. A number of journalists have been jailed in reference to their protection of Navalny, together with Antonina Favorskaya, who stays in pretrial detention till not less than Could 28 following a listening to final month.
Favorskaya was detained and accused by Russian authorities of taking part in an “extremist group” by posts on the Navalny Basis’s social media platforms. She lined Navalny’s courtroom hearings for years and filmed Navalny’s final video earlier than he died within the penal colony.
Kira Yarmysh, a spokeswoman for Navalny, mentioned Favorskaya didn’t put up something on the Basis’s platforms and advised that Russian authorities had focused her as a result of she was doing her job as a journalist.
Evan Gershkovich, a 32-year-old American reporter for the Wall Avenue Journal, is awaiting trial on espionage costs in Moscow’s infamous Lefortovo jail. Each Gershkovich and his employer vehemently denied the fees.
Gershkovich was arrested in March 2023 whereas on a reporting journey and has spent greater than a yr in jail; Authorities haven’t detailed what proof they’ve, if any, to help the espionage costs.
The US authorities has declared that Gershkovich was unjustly detained and officers accuse Moscow of utilizing the journalist as a pawn for political functions.
The Russian authorities has additionally cracked down on opposition figures. A outstanding activist, Vladimir Kara-Murza, was sentenced to 25 years.
