Kremlin Condemns Treatment of Russian Journalists in the US
Leah Foster
Posted On October 30, 2024
Kremlin Condemns Treatment of Russian Journalists in the US
MOSCOW (Reuters) – The Kremlin on Wednesday expressed outrage over the “unacceptable” treatment of a team of Russian journalists who traveled to the United States to cover the upcoming presidential election. Russian media reported that the Izvestia journalists were subjected to a 10-hour interrogation, and one had their visa revoked and was deported. The Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, stated that Moscow would seek further details on the incident. “Such an attitude towards journalists does not reflect well on the U.S. authorities, especially considering they obtained all necessary permissions to enter the country,” Peskov said. He further criticized the behavior as contradicting the principles of media freedom and expressed that it was “unacceptable” to Russia.
Izvestia and Russian Media Concerns
The Izvestia journalists belong to a commercial media group that operates television stations and a newspaper. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated that Russia would respond appropriately to the incident. Moscow has repeatedly voiced concerns over the banning of Russian news services by Western countries and has accused them of restricting its journalists’ activities.
US-Russia Tensions and Media Freedom
Washington has previously accused Russia of employing state media to meddle in elections in the United States and other countries. Reporters Without Borders, a French-based NGO, ranks Russia 162nd out of 180 nations in terms of press freedom. Currently, four Russian journalists are on trial behind closed doors for alleged connections to the banned organization founded by the late dissident Alexei Navalny.
Prisoner Swap and Journalist Cases
On August 1, two American journalists incarcerated in Russia were released in a prisoner swap with the West. Evan Gershkovich of the Wall Street Journal had been convicted of espionage, while Alsu Kurmasheva of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty was found guilty of disseminating false information about the Russian military. Both denied the charges, and Russia maintained that the cases were not politically motivated but rather criminal matters.
