Russia extends American RFE/RL journalist’s detention for sixth time

May 31, 2024

Washington, D.C. — Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) is outraged at today’s ruling in Russia to extend RFE/RL journalist Alsu Kurmasheva’s pretrial detention for the sixth time. For eight months, Alsu has been detained unjustly in a Russian prison simply for being an American.

RFE/RL President & CEO Stephen Capus said:

“The injustices multiply every day in this needless, cruel prosecution. Alsu’s fundamental rights as an American citizen are being denied by Russian authorities who have now imprisoned her for 227 days.

In that time, Alsu has not even had a single phone call with her loving children and husband. She’s been denied U.S. consular access as well as basic, adequate levels of health care. Alsu should be home in Prague with her daughters helping them study for final exams – not locked up in a Russian prison on baseless charges.”

During today’s court appearance, Alsu noted that she hasn’t heard her daughters’ voices since October 2023.

The charges against Alsu have grown progressively more serious since her detention. First, she was handed a minor fine for failure to register her U.S. passport. Then, the authorities detained her on a novel “foreign agent” charge which carries up to five years in prison. Before she could be tried, they opened another case under the much more serious military censorship article, which adds another 10 years to her potential sentence.

About RFE/RL

Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty is a private, independent international news organization whose programs — radio, Internet, television, and mobile — reach influential audiences in 23 countries, including Russia, Ukraine, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, the republics of Central Asia and the Caucasus. It is funded by the U.S. Congress through USAGM.