Rights groups report that Antonina Favorskaya is among six journalists detained this month, accused of having ties to Alexei Navalny’s ‘extremist organization’.
Journalist Antonina Favorskaya, known for filming the final video of Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny prior to his death, has been apprehended by authorities. She had extensively covered Navalny’s trials over the years, according to media freedom organization Reporters Without Borders, which stated on Thursday that Favorskaya was among six journalists detained nationwide this month.
Russian authorities detained Favorskaya late on Wednesday, alleging her involvement in an “extremist organization” through her posts on Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation’s social media platforms, as reported by Russian human rights group OVD-Info.
Navalny’s spokeswoman, Kira Yarmysh, countered these allegations, asserting that Favorskaya had not posted anything on the foundation’s platforms. Yarmysh suggested that Russian authorities targeted Favorskaya simply for performing her journalistic duties.
Navalny died in an Arctic penal colony in February.
OVD-Info reported that Favorskaya was first detained on March 17 after laying flowers on Navalny’s grave.
Following this, she spent 10 days in jail on charges of disobedience towards the police. However, upon the expiration of this detention period, authorities brought new charges against her. They ordered her to appear in Moscow’s Basmanny District Court on Friday.
Favorskaya is among several Russian journalists who have been targeted by authorities in a broader crackdown on dissent in the country.
Reporters Without Borders reported that two other journalists, Alexandra Astakhova and Anastasia Musatova, were briefly detained when they went to visit Favorskaya at the detention center where she was held.
Additionally, Ekaterina Anikievich from the Russian news site SOTAvision and Konstantin Yarov from RusNews were detained by police while they were covering the search of Favorskaya’s home.
Yarov recounted his experience, stating that he was subjected to physical violence while in custody: “They kicked me, placed a foot on my head, twisted my fingers, and taunted me when I attempted to stand up. They demanded to search my rucksack as if it could contain explosives.”
In Ufa, located 1,300km (800 miles) east of Moscow, Russian authorities detained Olga Komleva, a reporter for RusNews, on Wednesday.
Reporters Without Borders reported that she was accused of extremism and alleged involvement with Navalny and his organization.
Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation has been labeled an extremist organization by Russian authorities, exposing individuals associated with it to potential prison sentences.
