Russian journalist Sergei Karelin has been detained in Russia on charges of “extremism” for his alleged involvement in creating videos for the late dissident Alexei Navalny’s team, according to the Associated Press. Karelin, who has previously worked for the AP, is the second journalist to be arrested on such allegations, following the detention of Konstantin Gabov, who occasionally worked for Reuters.
The Associated Press expressed concern over Karelin’s detention, stating that they are seeking additional information on the situation. Gabov, who also worked for Russian television channels and a Belarusian news agency, will remain in pre-trial detention until at least June 27.
Both Karelin and Gabov are accused of assisting in the production of videos for Navalny’s YouTube channel, NavalnyLIVE. Navalny, a prominent critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, died under suspicious circumstances in February, leading to increased scrutiny and crackdowns on his supporters and allies.
The Russian government has been targeting independent and foreign media outlets in recent months, as part of a broader effort to silence dissenting voices following the conflict in Ukraine. Several journalists, including photographer Antonina Kravtsova and Forbes Russia journalist Sergei Mingazov, have been detained on similar charges of spreading “false information” or being labeled as “foreign agents.”
The crackdown on journalists has also extended to foreign reporters, such as Wall Street Journal’s Evan Gershkovich and Russian-American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva, who have been jailed on spying and “foreign agent” charges, respectively.
The detention of Karelin and Gabov is part of a larger trend of increasing repression of media freedom in Russia, as the government seeks to control the narrative and suppress dissenting voices.