Russia Adds New Charges Against Jailed RFERL Journalist
The United States said on Wednesday that it will 'continue to insist on' consular access to jailed RFE/RL journalist Alsu Kurmasheva, who has been held since October in Russia, following reports yesterday that Moscow authorities have levied additional charges against her. Kurmasheva is now accused of disseminating “fake” news about Russia’s armed forces, carrying a potential punishment of up to 10 years in prison.
"We’re closely following her detention. We’re aware that there may be possible charges against her. We have sought consular access to her the Russian Government has not provided. We will continue to insist on it," State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told TURAN's Washington correspondent during Wednesday's briefing.
According to media reports, the fake news charge against Kurmasheva is related to a book published by the RFE/RL Tatar-Bashkir Service in 2022 about Russians who oppose the invasion of Ukraine.
Miller also said that the Russians have acknowledged her detention to the U.S. "though they have not made a formal notification." "And we, as always, take seriously our commitment to assist U.S. citizens abroad, and we will continue to do that in this case," he added.
When asked about Kurmasheva's detention being formally designated as "wrongful", Miller said, "that’s not a determination that we have made yet. But as I have said before, with all these cases, we are constantly assessing facts and the law and making the most appropriate determination."
Politics
-
On 23 November at the COP29 climate conference in Baku, eco-activists from different countries held a protest action against the failure of countries to agree on climate finance.
-
On the eve of the closing of the COP29 climate conference in Baku, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has drawn attention to the criminal cases of journalists detained in Azerbaijan.
-
Negotiations at the 29th session of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Baku have been extended until November 24, a source in the UNFCCC Secretariat told the Turan news agency. According to the source, participants aim to finalize and sign the concluding documents by that date.
-
According to the Turkish newspaper Sabah, officials from the Istanbul Prosecutor's Office's Anti-Smuggling Unit have detained an Azerbaijani citizen with a large shipment of gold. The detention took place near the Vadi İstanbul shopping center in the Sarıyer district, where a taxi was stopped. During the search, 70 kg of gold was found. The Azerbaijani citizen in the vehicle claimed ownership of the cargo and also stated that he was a diplomat. The investigation by the prosecutor's office is ongoing, reports Sabah newspaper. The media outlet does not disclose the name of the "diplomat," only his initials – M.G.Ş. The Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs has declined to comment on the situation.
Leave a review