Russian-American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva has been sentenced to six-and-a-half years in jail by a court in Kazan, Russia, for allegedly spreading false information about the Russian army. The mother of two, who works for US-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), was also charged with failing to register as a foreign agent.
Her arrest last October and subsequent conviction have sparked outrage among her colleagues and family. RFE/RL president and CEO Stephen Capus called her conviction “a mockery of justice” and urged for her immediate release to be reunited with her family.
Kurmasheva, who holds both US and Russian citizenship, is known for her work focusing on issues facing ethnic minorities in central Russia. Her arrest came while she was in Kazan for a family emergency, and she has been separated from her daughters since then.
The timing of her sentencing, on the same day as fellow US journalist Evan Gershkovich was jailed for espionage, has raised speculation about a possible prisoner swap between Russia and other countries. The use of repressive laws to target journalists critical of the Russian government has intensified since the invasion of Ukraine, with the “false information” charge being commonly used to silence dissent.
As the international community continues to condemn Russia’s crackdown on press freedom, the fate of Alsu Kurmasheva remains uncertain, while her family and colleagues continue to advocate for her release.
