Russia Sentences Russian-American Journalist to 6.5 Years

A Russian court has sentenced Alsu Kurmasheva, a Russian-American journalist, to six-and-a-half years in prison for allegedly spreading false information about the Russian military. Kurmasheva, who serves as an editor for the U.S.-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), was convicted and sentenced on Friday. This marks the second instance this year of a U.S. journalist being convicted by Russian authorities as part of a broader crackdown on press freedom. Despite the severity of the charges, RFE/RL reports that the evidence against Kurmasheva was not made public.

Kurmasheva, aged 47, was detained in Kazan, Russia, in June of last year. Initially, she faced charges in October for failing to register as a “foreign agent,” a requirement under Russian law for individuals and organizations receiving foreign funding. However, her charges were later escalated under legislation that criminalizes public expression about the war in Ukraine. This law has been widely criticized for stifling free speech and independent journalism.

Stephen Capus, the president and CEO of RFE/RL, condemned the trial and the verdict as a “mockery of justice.” He emphasized that Kurmasheva’s conviction is unjust and called for her immediate release, denouncing her imprisonment as politically motivated and part of a broader effort to silence dissenting voices in Russia.

Kurmasheva’s sentencing coincided with another high-profile case: the conviction of Evan Gershkovich, a journalist for the Wall Street Journal, who was sentenced to 16 years in prison on the same day. Gershkovich was accused by Russian authorities of gathering information on a Russian military facility for the CIA during a reporting assignment last year. However, similar to Kurmasheva’s case, no public evidence was provided to support these claims. The Wall Street Journal and the U.S. State Department have condemned Gershkovich’s trial as a sham, declaring him “wrongfully detained.” Russian officials have suggested the possibility of a prisoner swap involving Gershkovich, indicating that negotiations might follow his sentencing.

Kurmasheva’s predicament began when she traveled to Russia from her home in Prague, Czech Republic, for a family emergency. While attempting to return home, she was detained for allegedly failing to register her American passport, a requirement that has been used by Russian authorities to target foreign journalists and activists. Born in Russia, Kurmasheva holds dual U.S.-Russian citizenship. RFE/RL, her employer, is based in Prague and is one of several media outlets that have been labeled as “undesirable” by Russian authorities, effectively banning their operations within the country.

Numerous press organizations and U.S. representatives, including Adam Schiff (D-Calif) and Eleanor Norton (D.C.), have called for the U.S. State Department to officially designate Kurmasheva as wrongfully detained. This designation would increase diplomatic pressure on Russia to secure her release. Department spokesperson Matt Miller stated last week that there was no “new information” to support such a designation but reiterated the department’s stance that “journalism is not a crime” and called for her swift release.