Two journalists, one with allegiances to the late opposition politician Alexei Navalny, were detained by Russian authorities and put under pretrial custody for two months. Accused of participating in “extremist” actions from an organization established by Navalny, the journalists, Konstantin Gabov and Sergei Karelin, find themselves under scrutiny. Known for preparing material for Navalny’s YouTube network, Navalny Live, Konstantin Gabov has notably collaborated with multiple domestic and foreign media outlets, including Deutsche Welle and Reuters.
In the absence of additional particulars, the spokesperson for Navalny’s movement was unavailable for comments. Both Gabov and his legal representative were unapproachable in the aftermath. Concurrently, Sergei Karelin, a video journalist who formerly worked for the Associated Press (AP) and holds Israeli dual citizenship, was arrested in the Murmansk region of Russia on a Friday.
The Associated Press expressed substantial worry over Karelin’s detention and is in the process of gathering more information. Similar to Gabov, Karelin is under accusation for preparing videos for Navalny’s YouTube channel and is currently inaccessible for feedback. Until the 27th of June, Gabov is expected to remain in pretrial detention, as detailed in an official statement.
The crime both journalists are contending with could result in a six-year imprisonment. Dramatic footage allegedly showed two officers forcefully invading Gabov’s flat and instructing him to descend to the ground. The Anti-Corruption Foundation, the platform driven by Navalny’s allies and operates outside Russia on YouTube, has been branded as a “foreign agent” and an extremist group by Russian authorities – a declaration that has effectively criminalized its activities within Russia. The said statement also identifies Gabov as a producer working for the Reuters news agency.
The news agency, Reuters, clarified that Gabov, a freelance journalist, used to periodically contribute to their news file but no longer works for them. It emphasized the importance of journalistic freedom, advocating for journalists to report news without fear of harm or harassment, irrespective of location.
Reports from Germany’s broadcaster, Deutsche Welle, infer that they previously employed Gabov as a Moscow correspondent. However, there was no response from Deutsche Welle’s press team to verify these claims.
Russian outlets disclose that a letter dated 11th April of the year in question was discovered at Gabov’s residence, stating his association with the Current Time network of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) which started on 1st July 2022. The RFE, an entity funded by the U.S. Congress, has been labelled a ‘foreign agent’ by Russia, due to its international funding for politically oriented activities. There was, however, no immediate reaction from RFE regarding these allegations.
The RFE’s website declares that its purpose is to advance democratic principles through the uncensored dissemination of news in nations where freedom of the press is compromised and misinformation is rampant.
Regrettably, there was no comment from the Russian police on the matter.
Incidentally, another journalist, Sergei Mingazov from the Russian version of Forbes, was put under house arrest following his apprehension on suspicions of disseminating misleading information about the Russian military. After seizing his phone and computer, Forbes was unable to establish contact with Mingazov. No information was provided on how Mingazov responded to the allegations.
Russian officials have outlawed Navalny’s movement, labeling it extremist, and painted the late politician as an American instigator aiming to incite revolution and disrupt Russia’s stability.
In a tense climate following the introduction of stringent laws and the invasion of Ukraine by Russian troops in February 2022, numerous Russian journalists working for non-state media organisations fled the nation. Those deemed guilty of distorting the image of the Russian military or spreading ‘fake’ military news now face potential incarceration.
The information provided is according to Reuters.