Reporters Without Borders has condemned Russian authorities for arresting six journalists on the eve of the one-year anniversary of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich's arrest. File photo: Yuri Kochetkov/EPA-EFE
March 29 (UPI) — Reporters Without Borders says Russian authorities arrested six journalists on the eve of the one-year anniversary of the arrest of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who remains in captivity. criticized.
“Days after Vladimir Putin's false presidential re-election on March 17, Russia continues to transform into a 'black hole' of news and information where Kremlin propaganda reigns supreme,” RSF said on Friday. stated in a press release.
The arrests were made on Wednesday and Thursday.
“With six new arrests in a matter of hours, accompanied by violence, threats and searches, the authorities are stepping up their persecution of Russia’s last independent journalists and media,” said RSF Head of Eastern Europe. said Jeanne Cavellier. Central Asia Desk. “RSF condemns the arbitrary arrest and unacceptable violence against these journalists.”
One of the journalists, Antonina Favorskaya, was arrested after being released from custody where she had been held for 10 days for “disobeying the police”.
Favorskaya's colleagues Alexandra Astakhova and Anastasia Musatova were detained and interrogated when they came to see her.
Both men were eventually released, but authorities seized equipment from their homes.
Favorskaya, who works for the media outlet SOTA Vision, covered the activities of deceased opposition politician Alexei Navalny, and was accused of “extremist activities” as a result.
Two journalists were arrested while covering the raid on Favorskaya's home: Ekateria Anikievich of SOTA Vision and Konstantin Zharov of Rusnews.
Rusnews journalist Olga Komelba, who also covered stories related to Alexei Navalny, was arrested on Wednesday and charged with “extremism.”
“The charges should be dropped and the two journalists still in custody should be released,” Cavellier said.
US President Joe Biden said on Friday that his administration was working to win Gershkovic's release.
“Journalism is not a crime, and Evan went to Russia to do his job as a reporter,” Biden said in a press release Friday.
