Russian prosecutors are requesting prison sentences of five years and 11 months for four journalists accused of “extremism” over their alleged involvement with the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny’s media platforms, the independent outlet Mediazona reported Thursday.
The journalists — Antonina Favorskaya, Konstantin Gabov, Sergei Karelin, and Artyom Kriger — were detained during the spring and summer of 2023. They stand accused of “participating in an extremist community” by producing content for Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) and the YouTube channel NavalnyLIVE.
Prosecutors claim the group was involved in gathering materials, editing, and producing videos linked to the banned organizations. Their trial, which began in October, is being conducted behind closed doors at the prosecution’s request.
Favorskaya and Kriger are affiliated with the independent news outlet SOTAvision, which has repeatedly denied the allegations, stating that neither journalist has ever worked for Navalny’s organizations. Gabov has worked for several media outlets including Reuters, Moskva 24, MIR, and the Belarusian agency Belsat. Karelin has contributed to the Associated Press.
Favorskaya had notably covered many of Navalny’s court appearances and filmed what is believed to be the final footage of the Kremlin critic before his death on February 16, 2024, in a remote Arctic prison. Navalny was serving a 19-year sentence for “extremism” at the time of his death, which occurred under unclear circumstances.
In 2021, Russian authorities labeled Navalny’s political and activist organizations — including FBK — as “extremist,” effectively criminalizing any association with them and putting journalists, supporters, and former employees at risk of prosecution.
The case against Favorskaya, Gabov, Karelin, and Kriger follows a broader crackdown on independent journalism and dissent in Russia. Earlier this year, three former journalists linked to Navalny’s media initiatives were sentenced to prison terms of up to five and a half years on similar charges.
