On Thursday, the Sovetsky District Court in Kazan, Russia extended the pre-trial detention of Alsu Kurmasheva, a Russian-American journalist accused of violating Russia’s ‘foreign agents’ law. Kurmasheva’s pre-trial detention, which was originally set to last until February 5, has now been extended to April 5.
Kurmasheva, who works for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) and holds both US and Russian citizenship, was first detained in June 2023 when she was about to board a return flight from Russia to the Czech Republic. She was later slapped with a fine of about $100 for failing to register her US passport with the Russian authorities.
The situation escalated when Kurmasheva was subsequently charged for failing to register as a ‘foreign agent’, an offence that could imprison her for up to five years. Since October 18, 2023, she has been in Russian custody, awaiting trial. In December, additional criminal charges were brought against Kurmasheva under Articles 207.3 and 330.1 of the Russian Criminal Code, which effectively criminalise reporting on the Russo-Ukrainian war, bringing up her potential sentence to 15 years.
The ‘foreign agent’ law, which attracts much criticism from within and outside Russia, requires anyone thought to be influenced by non-Russian parties – or receiving support from abroad – to register with the Russian authorities and declare themselves as ‘foreign agents’. Connotations with Cold War-era espionage run deep with this law, and it has been accused of violating human rights and curtailing freedoms of speech and the press.
Stephen Capus, acting president of RFE/RL, decried Russia’s actions against Kurmasheva as a “deplorable criminal campaign,” in a statement.
While Kurmasheva’s lawyer’s request to let her complete her pre-trial detention under house arrest was denied, news of her extended custody has fuelled demands for her to be designated as ‘wrongfully detained’ by the U.S. Department of State. If approved, this would tag the case against her as politically motivated and raise its overall profile. Calls for the same can be seen on social media under the trending hashtag, #FreeAlsu. Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkobich and U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, both also held by Russia on charges of espionage, have previously been granted this designation.
Lastly, the aforementioned court hearing was conducted in private, with media representatives allowed only during the reading of the decision. While Kurmasheva’s custody has been extended to April 5, her trial date is yet to be announced.