News: Alsu Kurmasheva, journalist for Radio Free Europe, arrested in Russia for failure to declare as a foreign agent
Freedom of the press is an essential value in a democratic society, guaranteeing access to objective and free information. However, many countries continue to restrict this freedom, notably by imprisoning journalists who dare to criticize the regime in place.
This is unfortunately the case in Russia, where journalist Alsu Kurmasheva was recently arrested for failing to declare herself as a foreign agent. Employed by Radio Free Europe, an American radio station, Alsu Kurmasheva currently faces a five-year prison sentence.
Russian authorities accuse him of having collected military information on Russian activities to transmit it to foreign sources. In addition, they accuse him of having led information campaigns aimed at discrediting Russia.
This arrest is further proof of the Russian government’s desire to stifle independent journalism and control the information circulating in the country. Many journalists are regularly harassed, arrested or even murdered for practicing their profession and criticizing the government in place.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has called for the immediate release of Alsu Kurmasheva and the dropping of charges against her. According to this organization, journalism is not a crime and the journalist’s detention is a new attack on press freedom in Russia.
Alsu Kurmasheva is the second American journalist to be arrested in Russia in 2023. This shows that the situation continues to deteriorate for foreign journalists in this country. Evan Gershkovich, a journalist for the Wall Street Journal, has also been detained since March on espionage charges that he denies.
These arrests and these acts of repression must not remain a dead letter. It is essential that the international community mobilizes to defend press freedom and demand the release of these unjustly imprisoned journalists. The voice of independent media must continue to be heard, despite obstacles and intimidation, to guarantee access to free and objective information.