(Moscow) A Russian journalist was detained in Russia for “extremism”, accused of having participated in the creation of videos for the team of the late opponent Alexeï Navalny, reported the American news agency Associated Press , with whom he notably collaborated.
Sergey Karelin is the second journalist to be arrested on these charges, after Konstantin Gabov, who was also detained on Saturday and who occasionally collaborated with the Canadian news agency Reuters.
Associated Press said in a comment to AFP on Sunday that it was “very concerned by the detention of Russian video journalist Sergei Karelin” and indicated that it was “seeking additional information” on this case.
Sergei Kareline and Konstantin Gabov are accused of having participated in the preparation of videos for the NavalnyLIVE YouTube channel from the team of Russian opponent Alexeï Navalny, who died in prison in February in murky circumstances.
PHOTO BASMANNY DISTRICT COURT PRESS SERVICE, PROVIDED BY ASSOCIATED PRESS
Konstantin Gabov
His movement has been classified as “extremist” by the courts, which puts his collaborators and supporters at risk of prosecution.
Most of the deceased opponent’s associates are in exile abroad, others have received long prison sentences.
The Russian authorities have increased their pressure on independent and foreign media in Russia in recent months, in a context of all-out repression of dissident voices since the start of the offensive in Ukraine.
At the end of March, a photojournalist, Antonina Kravtsova, who worked under the name Antonina Favorskaïa, was also detained on charges of “extremism”.
PHOTO DMITRY SEREBRYAKOV, ASSOCIATED PRESS ARCHIVES
Antonina Kravtsova
She very regularly covered the trials of Alexei Navalny for SOTAvision, one of the last media outlets documenting political repression from Russia, classified as a “foreign agent” by the Russian authorities.
A Russian journalist from the Russian edition of the media ForbesSergei Mingazov, was arrested on April 26, accused of having disseminated “false information” on the abuses attributed to the Russian army in Ukraine.
Several other journalists are in detention in Russia, including the American Evan Gershkovich, targeted by accusations of “espionage” which he rejects, as do his media, his relatives and the American authorities.
A Russian-American journalist, Alsu Kurmasheva, working for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), has also been in detention since October 2023 for failing to register as a “foreign agent” as ‘demand the authorities.