The IPI global network today condemns the latest arrests in Russia targeting journalists accused of working with the late opposition leader Alexey Navalny and his Anti-Corruption Fund (FBK).

On April 27, Russian authorities reported on the pre-trial arrest of Konstantin Gabov, who reportedly worked as a producer for Reuters. The authorities claimed that Gabov also “prepared video and photo materials” for a YouTube channel promoting Navalny’s work. However, they did not specify when this allegedly took place and in what circumstances. In 2021, Russia designated FBK as an “extremist” organization in Russia. Anyone who collaborates with it faces “extremism” charges punishable with up to six years imprisonment.

On April 28, the Associated Press (AP) reported that police had detained one of its contributors, video journalist Sergey Karelin, in Russia’s northern Murmansk region. Authorities have accused Karelin, who holds dual Russian-Israeli citizenship, of “extremism” for allegedly preparing materials for FBK’s YouTube channel.

AP said in a statement that it was “very concerned” by Karelin’s detention and that it was seeking additional information.

Campaign of intimidation

“While the full circumstances around these arrests remain unknown, it is already clear that they are part of a campaign of intimidation against independent journalists who remain in the country,” said IPI Deputy Director Scott Griffen. “These arrests come just one month after the unprecedented detention of Sotavision correspondent Antonina Favorskaya, through which Russian authorities escalated repression against independent journalists to yet a new level. We firmly condemn these acts, which again confirm that the Kremlin has fully forsaken any appearances of respect of press freedom.”

Authorities have also charged Favorskaya with “extremism” for allegedly having worked for structures linked to Alexey Navalny. She was placed in pre-trial detention for a period of two months. This came despite declarations made by Kira Yarmysh, one of Navalny’s key collaborators, that Favorskaya had never worked for FBK. If found guilty, she faces a sentence of six years in prison.

New crackdown on media after Navalny’s death?

While a handful of local Russian journalists are already in prison for disseminating verified facts on Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine – which the Russian authorities consider “fake news” – the arrest of Favorskaya, and now of Gabov and Karelin, has introduced considerably more legal uncertainty for those Russian journalists who chose to stay inside the country and not cover the war in Ukraine.

The cases against Favorskaya, Gabov, and Karelin seem to indicate that authorities are now ready to weaponize legislation on “extremism” and jail journalists on a larger scale than previously.

Russia designated the FBK as “extremist” in 2021. However, until now, authorities had not targeted journalists for independent reporting on activities by the Fund and its now-deceased leader.

The new arrests show how authorities can apply these instruments at will. The cases against Gabov and Karelin additionally expand the targets to include Russian journalists working with international media. Those journalists were less exposed to attacks by the Kremlin than those working for local independent media.

As of May 2024, no fewer than 20 Russian journalists are behind bars on various charges, according to IPI monitoring. Authorities charged six of those in prison with “disseminating fake news” or “discrediting the Russian army”. The charges related to publishing verified news on the war in Ukraine.