Russia arrests more journalists in intensifying crackdown on dissent
Russia has arrested two Russian journalists on “extremism” charges in recent days, the latest moves in a continuing crackdown targeting independent reporters and media outlets. A third Russian journalist, with Forbes Russia, was charged with publishing what authorities called “fake news.”
The increasing use of anti-extremism laws to prosecute reporters — one piece of a larger campaign to stifle domestic dissent during Russia’s war in Ukraine — is likely to have a further chilling effect on the few independent journalists still operating in Russia, many of them freelancers or employees of small outlets with few legal protections.
The Associated Press on Saturday reported that video journalist Sergey Karelin, who has worked with the AP, Deutsche Welle and other international outlets had been arrested Friday in the Murmansk region in northern Russia and charged with extremism. He was placed in custody pending trial.
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