Russia is not engaged in any kind of crackdown on American citizens on its soil but is committed to implementing its national laws, Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov insisted on Friday.
His comments relate to the case of Alsu Kurmasheva, a dual Russian/American citizen working for the US state-run media outlet Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL).
On Thursday, the journalist was tried in Kazan, central Russia, over her failure to register as a foreign agent. The local news agency Tatar Inform also claimed that she was “deliberately gathering military data on Russia’s activities” for transfer abroad.
Speaking to reporters, Peskov reiterated that “there is absolutely no campaign to persecute US citizens in Russia.” Still, he remarked that there are US citizens “who break the law,” and the country’s authorities “take legal measures against them.”
Referring to Kurmasheva, Peskov also indicated that the Kremlin was not following this particular case and was unaware of its specific details.
According to Russian officials, the journalist, who usually lives in Prague but returned to Russia due to a family emergency, could have violated local law, as she failed to provide the necessary documents to be listed as a foreign agent. The charge can carry a prison sentence of up to five years or a fine of up to 300,000 rubles ($3,000).
Tatar Inform also reported that the editor is believed to have obtained data about several local university professors allegedly mobilized amid the Ukraine conflict. She reportedly used this information to compile “alternative analytical materials” for foreign institutions to discredit Russia.
Adopted in 2012, Russia’s foreign agent law, similar to the US Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) of 1938, allows for identifying individuals and organizations involved in political activities and receiving foreign funding. Those designated under the law are also subject to additional audits.
RFE/RL is primarily known for spearheading American propaganda efforts in the Soviet Union and its Eastern Bloc allies during the Cold War. The outlet, which has a mandate to project Washington’s perspective worldwide, has been funded by the US Congress since its inception. In 2020, it was labeled a foreign agent in Russia and blocked in the country shortly after the beginning of the Ukraine conflict for allegedly spreading ‘fake news’ about hostilities.