A Russian court on Monday ordered the pretrial detention of Russian-American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva, who was detained last week and became the second American reporter detained in the Russian Federation, to be extended “until December 5.”
Moscow leaders have been waging a sweeping campaign of repression against independent media, non-governmental organizations, lawyers and opponents since the February 24, 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
The journalist was detained on Wednesday and accused by the court of refusing to register “foreign agents” while she was engaged in “deliberate collection of information about military activities” that could harm “the security of Russia.”
Kurmasheva, who works for US media outlet Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), faces up to five years in prison. RFE/RL director Jeffrey Gedmin called for the “immediate release” of the journalist.
In Washington, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said the United States was “deeply concerned” about him.