#News #Russia #Journalism
In Moscow, four independent journalists have been sentenced to five years in prison for allegedly supporting the opposition leader Alexei Navalny’s organization, as accused by Russian prosecutors. The case dates back to before the start of the 2022 Ukraine invasion when Navalny’s organization was labeled as “extremist,” leading to a ban, and investigations continued even after Navalny’s death in Arctic prison last year.
The Russian authorities have imposed restrictions on Russian media, organizations, and groups to prevent them from comparing them to Soviet-era half of the country following the sending of troops to Ukraine. Journalists Antonina Krabatsobha, Konstantin Gabobh, Sergey Karelin, and Artem Krigar have been accused of participating in an “extremist group.”
In a hearing in Nagatinsky Court in Moscow, prosecutor Tikhonov has requested a five-year and eleven-month prison sentence for all the accused. The journalists are at risk of facing up to 15 years in prison for such a crime.
According to Mediazone news agency, there were attempts to halt the trial when the prosecutors requested journalists to be taken out of the courtroom and broadcast the sentence publicly through media channels, which eventually succeeded.
Following the harsh criticism from Russian President Vladimir Putin and the death of Navalny’s main rival, Navalny, during the past spring and summer, they were arrested. At the time of the Ukraine invasion, they were already under surveillance and faced issues behind closed doors.
One of the accused, a 34-year-old photographer Krabatsobha, who works for the independent online magazine Sotabiznam, has been covering Navalny’s case for the past two years under the pseudonym Anton Favorites. She managed to successfully capture the final moments of Navalny’s presence in court through a video link just two days before his death.
Accusations have been made against Gabobh and Karelin for preparing photo and video content for Navalny’s social media channels. Among the defendants, 24-year-old Krugar has been accused of covering political issues and protests for the SOI TV channel.
Moscow has imposed restrictions on criticism of the Ukraine invasion, causing most independent media outlets in the country to be compelled to operate services from outside Russia.
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Author: MAYA | HARUTO
Posted at: April 11, 2025 3:01 am
