Latest news with #Kriger
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Anti-corruption journalists who worked with Navalny convicted of ‘extremism' in Russia
A Russian court has convicted four journalists of extremism for working for an anti-corruption organisation founded by late opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Antonina Favorskaya, Kostantin Gabov, Sergey Karelin and Artyom Kriger were sentenced to five and a half years each. The court, Moscow's Nagatinsky district court, found them guilty of involvement with a group — Navalny's Foundation for Fighting Corruption — that was labelled 'extremist' in Russia in 2021. All four maintained their innocence and said that they were being prosecuted for doing their job as journalists. This is the latest incident of Kremlim persecuting dissenting voices in the country including activists, independent journalists and political opponents. The crackdown on dissent has only intensified after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Two of the four convicted journalists, Favorskaya and Kriger worked with SotaVision — an independent Russian media outlet known for documenting protests and political trials. Gabov is a freelance producer who has worked with several international news organisations including with Reuters. Karelin, a freelance video journalist, has contributed to the Associated Press. 'They will all appeal' their sentences, Ivan Novikov, the lawyer defending Kriger told the reporters. 'The sentence is unlawful and unjust,' said a second lawyer for Kriger, Yelena Sheremetyeva. 'No evidence was presented that these guys committed any crimes, their guilt was not proven,' Gabov's lawyer Irina Biryukova said. Navalny was a vocal critic of Vladimir Putin and his policies and fiercely fought against corruption in Russia. He died last year in February while serving a 19-year sentence in an Arctic prison colony — which many of his defenders said was aimed at silencing him. The press secretary of Navalny's widow Yulia, Kira Yarmysh, wrote on X: 'Antonina, Artem, Sergei and Konstantin are real journalists and just honest, brave people. They should be released immediately.' She said that they were being punished for doing their job. One of the four journalists, Favorskaya, has said at an earlier court appearance that she was being targetted for doing a story on the abuse Navalny faced in prison. Gabov called the accusations groundless and said in his closing statement — which was also published by Novaya Gazeta newspaper: 'I understand perfectly well (...) what kind of country I live in. Throughout history, Russia has never been different, there is nothing new in the current situation. Independent journalism is equated to extremism.' Karelin said in his closing arguments that he had done street interviews for a YouTube channel, Popular Politics, founded by Navalny's associates. He claimed that the channel was not labelled 'extremist' and that he had done nothing wrong. 'Remorse is considered to be a mitigating circumstance. It's the criminals who need to have remorse for what they did. But I am in prison for my work, for the honest and impartial attitude to journalism, FOR THE LOVE for my family and country,' he wrote in a separate speech for the court that also was published by Novaya Gazeta. Kriger, in a closing statement published by SotaVision, said that he was being targeted 'only because I have conscientiously carried out my professional duties as an honest, incorruptible and independent journalist for 4 1/2 years'. 'Don't despair guys, sooner or later it will end and those who delivered the sentence will go behind bars,' Kriger said after the verdict.
The Independent
16-04-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Anti-corruption journalists who worked with Navalny convicted of ‘extremism' in Russia
A Russian court has convicted four journalists of extremism for working for an anti-corruption organisation founded by late opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Antonina Favorskaya, Kostantin Gabov, Sergey Karelin and Artyom Kriger were sentenced to five and a half years each. The court, Moscow 's Nagatinsky district court, found them guilty of involvement with a group — Navalny's Foundation for Fighting Corruption — that was labelled 'extremist' in Russia in 2021. All four maintained their innocence and said that they were being prosecuted for doing their job as journalists. This is the latest incident of Kremlim persecuting dissenting voices in the country including activists, independent journalists and political opponents. The crackdown on dissent has only intensified after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Two of the four convicted journalists, Favorskaya and Kriger worked with SotaVision — an independent Russian media outlet known for documenting protests and political trials. Gabov is a freelance producer who has worked with several international news organisations including with Reuters. Karelin, a freelance video journalist, has contributed to the Associated Press. 'They will all appeal' their sentences, Ivan Novikov, the lawyer defending Kriger told the reporters. 'The sentence is unlawful and unjust,' said a second lawyer for Kriger, Yelena Sheremetyeva. 'No evidence was presented that these guys committed any crimes, their guilt was not proven,' Gabov's lawyer Irina Biryukova said. Navalny was a vocal critic of Vladimir Putin and his policies and fiercely fought against corruption in Russia. He died last year in February while serving a 19-year sentence in an Arctic prison colony — which many of his defenders said was aimed at silencing him. The press secretary of Navalny's widow Yulia, Kira Yarmysh, wrote on X: 'Antonina, Artem, Sergei and Konstantin are real journalists and just honest, brave people. They should be released immediately.' She said that they were being punished for doing their job. One of the four journalists, Favorskaya, has said at an earlier court appearance that she was being targetted for doing a story on the abuse Navalny faced in prison. Gabov called the accusations groundless and said in his closing statement — which was also published by Novaya Gazeta newspaper: 'I understand perfectly well (...) what kind of country I live in. Throughout history, Russia has never been different, there is nothing new in the current situation. Independent journalism is equated to extremism.' Karelin said in his closing arguments that he had done street interviews for a YouTube channel, Popular Politics, founded by Navalny's associates. He claimed that the channel was not labelled 'extremist' and that he had done nothing wrong. 'Remorse is considered to be a mitigating circumstance. It's the criminals who need to have remorse for what they did. But I am in prison for my work, for the honest and impartial attitude to journalism, FOR THE LOVE for my family and country,' he wrote in a separate speech for the court that also was published by Novaya Gazeta. Kriger, in a closing statement published by SotaVision, said that he was being targeted 'only because I have conscientiously carried out my professional duties as an honest, incorruptible and independent journalist for 4 1/2 years'. 'Don't despair guys, sooner or later it will end and those who delivered the sentence will go behind bars,' Kriger said after the verdict.
Boston Globe
15-04-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Four journalists who were accused of working for Kremlin foe Navalny are convicted of extremism
The authorities have targeted opposition figures, independent journalists, rights activists, and ordinary Russians critical of the Kremlin with prosecution, jailing hundreds and prompting thousands to flee the country. Advertisement Favorskaya and Kriger worked with SotaVision, an independent Russian news outlet that covers protests and political trials. Gabov is a freelance producer who has worked for multiple organizations, including Reuters. Karelin, a freelance video journalist, has done work for Western media outlets, including The Associated Press. The four journalists were accused of working with Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation, which was designated as extremist and outlawed in 2021 in a move widely seen as politically motivated. Navalny was President Vladimir Putin's fiercest and most prominent foe, and relentlessly campaigned against official corruption in Russia. Navalny died in February 2024 in an Arctic penal colony while serving a 19-year sentence on a number of charges, including running an extremist group, which he had rejected as politically driven. Favorskaya said at an earlier court appearance open to the public that she was being prosecuted for a story she did on abuse Navalny faced behind bars. Speaking to reporters from the defendants' cage before the verdict, she also said she was punished for helping organize Navalny's funeral. Advertisement Gabov, in a closing statement prepared for court and published by the independent Novaya Gazeta newspaper, said the accusations against him were groundless and the prosecution failed to prove them. 'I understand perfectly well ... what kind of country I live in. Throughout history, Russia has never been different, there is nothing new in the current situation,' Gabov said in the statement. 'Independent journalism is equated to extremism.' Kriger, in a closing statement published by SotaVision, said he was imprisoned and added to the Russian financial intelligence's registry of extremists and terrorists 'only because I have conscientiously carried out my professional duties as an honest, incorruptible, and independent journalist for 4 1/2 years.' 'Don't despair guys, sooner or later it will end and those who delivered the sentence will go behind bars,' Kriger said after the verdict. Supporters who gathered in the court building chanted and applauded as the four journalists were led out of the courtroom after the verdict. The journalists' lawyers said they would appeal the verdict.
Sky News
15-04-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
Russian journalists accused of working with Alexei Navalny jailed for more than five years each
Four Russian journalists accused of working with the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny have been sentenced to five-and-a-half years in prison each. The trial of Antonina Favorskaya, Sergei Karelin, Konstantin Gabov, and Artem Kriger on charges of belonging to an extremist group has been held behind closed doors in a court in Moscow since October. All four denied the charges, arguing they were being prosecuted for doing their job as journalists. Prosecutors accused them of creating materials for Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) YouTube channel, which is banned in Russia as a "foreign agent" and an extremist organisation. They had asked for jail terms of five years and 11 months for each of the defendants. At a court in Moscow on Tuesday, the four journalists were found guilty and jailed for five-and-a-half years each. Mr Kriger said after the verdict: "Don't despair guys, sooner or later it will end and those who delivered the sentence will go behind bars." Supporters gathered in the court building chanted and applauded as the journalists were led out of the courtroom. Ms Favorskaya recorded the last video of Navalny taking part in a court hearing the day before he died. At an earlier court appearance, she said she was being prosecuted for a story she did on abuse Navalny faced behind bars. Speaking to reporters from the defendants' cage before today's verdict, she also said she was being punished for helping with Navalny's funeral arrangements. In a closing statement published by an independent newspaper, Mr Gabov said: "I understand perfectly well [...] what kind of country I live in. Independent journalism is equated to extremism." Opposition leader Navalny, who died in mysterious circumstances in an Arctic penal colony in February last year, was the most prominent critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin. He had spent years campaigning against the Putin regime and corruption in the country's elite and led major anti-Kremlin protests. Navalny was serving a 19-year jail term on corruption and extremism charges, which he denied, when he died. Western leaders, Navalny's allies and his widow accused the Kremlin of having him killed, which Russia denies. Ms Favorskaya and Mr Kriger worked with SotaVision, an independent Russian news outlet that covers protests and political trials. Mr Gabov is a freelance producer who has worked for organisations including Reuters. Mr Karelin, a freelance video journalist, has worked for Western media outlets including The Associated Press. Pressure has been growing on domestic and foreign reporters since the start of Russia's war in Ukraine in 2022, as Moscow has sought to silence criticism of its invasion. Almost 40 journalists and media workers are currently in detention in Russia, according to the international press freedom group Reporters Without Borders.
