Two Russian journalists have been arrested on “extremism” charges and ordered by courts to remain in custody pending an investigation and trial.
The Russian government has accused Konstantin Gabov and Sergey Karelin of working for a group founded by late Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny.
They face a minimum of two years in prison and a maximum of six years for alleged “participation in an extremist organisation,” according to Russian courts.
They have both denied the charges and will be detained for a minimum of two months before any trials begin.
They are the latest journalists to be arrested during a government crackdown on dissent and independent media that intensified after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than two years ago.
The Russian government passed laws criminalising what it deems false information about the military or statements seen as discrediting the military, effectively outlawing any criticism of the war in Ukraine or speech that deviates from the official narrative.
A journalist for the Russian edition of Forbes magazine, Sergei Mingazov, was detained on charges of spreading false information about the Russian military, his lawyer said.
Mr Gabov and Mr Karelin are accused of preparing materials for a YouTube channel run by Mr Navalny’s Foundation for Fighting Corruption, which has been outlawed by Russian authorities.
Mr Navalny died in an Arctic penal colony in February.
Mr Gabov, who was detained in Moscow, is a freelance producer who has worked for multiple organisations, including Reuters, the court press service said. Reuters did not immediately comment on the court’s ruling.
Mr Karelin, 41, who has dual citizenship with Israel, was detained on Friday night in Russia’s northern Murmansk region.
He has worked for a number of outlets, including for The Associated Press. He was a cameraman for German media outlet Deutsche Welle until the Kremlin banned the outlet from operating in Russia in February 2022.
“The Associated Press is very concerned by the detention of Russian video journalist Sergey Karelin,” the AP said in a statement. “We are seeking additional information.”
Russia’s crackdown on dissent is aimed at opposition figures, journalists, activists, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and ordinary Russians critical of the Kremlin.
A number of journalists have been jailed in relation to their coverage of Mr Navalny, including Antonina Favorskaya, who remains in pre-trial detention at least until May 28 following a hearing last month.
Ms Favorskaya was detained after being accused of taking part in an “extremist organisation” by posting on the social media platforms of Mr Navalny’s foundation.
She covered Mr Navalny’s court hearings for years and filmed the last video of the opposition leader before he died in the penal colony.
Kira Yarmysh, Mr Navalny’s spokeswoman, said Ms Favorskaya did not publish anything on the foundation’s platforms and suggested Russian authorities had targeted her because she was doing her job as a journalist.
Evan Gershkovich, a 32-year-old American reporter for The Wall Street Journal, is awaiting trial on espionage charges at Moscow’s notorious Lefortovo Prison. Both Mr Gershkovich and his employer have vehemently denied the charges.
Mr Gershkovich was detained in March 2023 while on a reporting trip and has spent more than a year in jail. Authorities have not detailed what, if any, evidence they have to support the espionage charges.
The US government has declared Mr Gershkovich wrongfully is detained, with officials accusing Moscow of using the journalist as a pawn for political ends.
AP
