Press Release
☷RFE RL condemns detention of journalist Alsu Kurmasheva in Russia
Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty ( By Press Release office)
Oct 20,2023
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On October 18 , authorities in Kazan , Russia detained Alsu Kurmasheva , an editor with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty ' s Tatar - Bashkir Service . Kurmasheva has been charged with failure to register as a foreign agent , which could lead to a maximum sentence of five years in prison . RFE/RL acting President Dr . Jeffrey Gedmin expressed concern for Kurmasheva , highlighting her role as a respected colleague , wife , and mother . Kurmasheva , a dual U . S . and Russian citizen who resides in Prague , Czech Republic , traveled to Russia for a family emergency on May 20 . While waiting for her return flight on June 2 , authorities at Kazan airport confiscated her passports and subsequently fined her for failing to register her U . S . passport . As she awaited the return of her passports , the new charge was announced on October 18 . Kurmasheva is a prominent journalist who has extensively covered ethnic minority communities in Tatarstan and Bashkortostan , focusing on initiatives to preserve the Tatar language and culture . In recent years , Russian authorities have increased pressure on Tatars , using foreign agent laws to target government critics receiving foreign funding or deemed to be under foreign influence . RFE/RL is a private , independent international news organization that reaches influential audiences in 23 countries , funded by the U . S . Congress through USAGM .
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