A Russian court sentenced four journalists to five and a half years in prison each on April 15 for their alleged involvement with Alexei Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK), which Moscow has labeled an "extremist organization," independent outlet Mediazona reported.
The case concerned Antonina Favorskaya, Artem Krieger, Sergey Karelin, and Konstantin Gabov, who were said to be producing video content for Navalny-affiliated YouTube channels, including the Navalny Live platform.
Testimony against them reportedly came from individuals who previously participated in street interviews for the channel.
Favorskaya, a correspondent for independent Russian outlet SotaVision, was detained in March. Moscow court officials claimed she was responsible for "collecting, editing, and publishing" content for FBK, which was banned in Russia in 2021.
The other three — Krieger, also with SotaVision, and freelance journalists Gabov and Karelin — were arrested in April and have remained in pre-trial detention.
Gabov has worked with Reuters and Poland's state-financed Belsat, while Karelin previously contributed to the Associated Press and Deutsche Welle.
The Anti-Corruption Foundation, founded by Navalny in 2011, gained prominence through its investigations into systemic corruption among Russia's elite. The Kremlin branded the group extremist following Navalny's arrest in January 2021 as part of a sweeping crackdown on dissent.
Navalny, who returned to Russia in 2021 after surviving a poisoning attempt, was imprisoned on politically motivated charges and died under suspicious circumstances in an Arctic penal colony on Feb. 16, 2024.
Navalny's widow, Yulia Navalnaya, has since taken up a more public role, vowing to carry on his anti-corruption work and hold the Kremlin accountable. She has directly accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of murdering her husband.
The sentencing of the four journalists underscores the Kremlin's continued suppression of independent media and its escalating efforts to silence voices linked to Navalny's legacy.
Abbey Fenbert
(Updated: )
