More than 50 people came to the hearings at the Nagatinsky Court in Moscow on the accusation of journalists collaborating with FBK, despite the fact that the sessions are held in closed mode. Among those who came to support the journalists were representatives of the US, UK, France, Switzerland, Netherlands, Czech Republic, Australia, and New Zealand diplomatic missions, reported a correspondent from RusNews.
The prosecutor requested 5 years and 11 months imprisonment for SOTAvision*** journalists Antonina Favorskaya and Artem Kriger, Sergey Karelin, who collaborated with Associated Press, and Konstantin Gabov, who filmed for Reuters. The maximum sentence under the article they are charged with is 6 years. The prosecution also requested a 5-year publication ban for them.
The journalists are accused under the article for participating in an "extremist" community. According to the investigation, they allegedly provided FBK with materials from their shoots.
The arrests of the journalists began at the end of March last year. Antonina Favorskaya was the first to be detained. She actively covered the case of Alexei Navalny**, attended almost all court sessions, and wrote a report from Harp, where the politician was transferred shortly before the murder. Gabov and Karelin were arrested on April 27. On June 18, Artem Kriger was arrested in Moscow.
* Recognized as an "extremist" organization in Russia.
** Included in the list of "terrorists and extremists".
*** Recognized as a "foreign agent" in Russia.
Photo: SOTAvision