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Dear Friends,

On July 19th, two American journalists were arbitrarily sentenced in Russia. Alsu Kurmasheva, a Russian-American dual national, was sentenced to six-and-a-half years in prison for publicizing alleged “false information” about the Russian army. Evan Gershkovich, an American journalist for The Wall Street Journal, was also sentenced to 16 years in prison for “espionage” in a speedy closed-door trial.

These journalists are the collateral victims of a diplomatic game, as their conviction appears to be a maneuver made by the Russian government in order to facilitate an exchange with the United States. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) urges the U.S. government to do everything in its power to secure their immediate release and their safe travel home.

Russia's unprecedented crackdown on independent media has accelerated since its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The Russian judiciary, which takes orders from the Kremlin, is not content with only persecuting local journalists, it is also targeting foreign journalists to prevent any reliable news from the ground.

Journalism is not a crime. Our commitment to helping Alsu Kurmasheva et Evan Gershkovich is unwavering, and must lead to their release. Your support is essential in the fight against the restrictions upon the freedom to inform.

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REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS (RSF)
Jeanne Cavelier, Head of Eastern Europe and Central Asia desk

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