Russia extends pre-trial detention of Russian-American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva until February

A Russian court on Friday (Dec 1) extended the pre-trial detention of American-Russian journalist Alsu Kurmasheva for two more months after she failed to register as a “foreign agent”. The extension comes after Russia formally charged Kurmasheva in October.

The Prague-based editor for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), is the second American to be detained by Russia after Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich.

He was arrested in March on spying charges which he, his employer and the White House have since denied.

Detention extended

The court in the Russian city of Kazan has extended detention of Kurmasheva, who holds both US and Russian citizenship, until February 5, 2024, said her employer RFE/RL.

ALSO READ |Russia formally charges American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva detained for violating ‘foreign agent’ law

The Russian-American journalist was detained on October 18 after she allegedly failed to register as a “foreign agent” during a visit to Russia.

RFE/RL is funded by the United States Congress and is designated by Moscow as a “foreign agent”. Moscow’s foreign agent law allows Russian authorities to label organisations and people that receive foreign funding as “foreign agents”.

If found guilty, Kurmasheva faces up to five years in prison.

She was also fined $103 (10,000 roubles) on October 11 after she failed to register her US passport with Russian authorities, reported Reuters citing court documents.

“Alsu has spent 45 days behind bars in Russia and, today, her unjust, politically motivated detention has been extended,” said RFE/RL acting President Jeffrey Gedmin, in a statement.

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“We call on Russian authorities to immediately grant Alsu consular access, which is her right as a US citizen. Alsu must be released and reunited with her family,” he added.

‘Hostage diplomacy’

A Russian court in Moscow on Tuesday (Nov 28) also extended Gershkovich, who is awaiting trial on espionage charges, until January 30, 2024.

The 32-year-old American citizen was detained in March by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg on charges of espionage for which he could face up to 20 years in prison.

Both Kurmasheva and Gershkovich deny the charges against them.

ALSO READ |Russian court extends detention of US reporter Evan Gershkovich until end of January

The US ambassador to Russia Lynne Tracy has previously accused Moscow of conducting “hostage diplomacy”.

Last week, a report by Reuters citing diplomats said Gershkovich was probably detained as part of a broader Russian effort to build up a store of arrests of US citizens to be swapped for Russian citizens, including convicted spies.

However, Russia rarely releases people imprisoned while awaiting trial on serious charges.

(With inputs from agencies)