Russian-American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva sentenced to 6.5 years in prison in secret trial

A Kazan court sentenced Russian-American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva to 6.5 years in prison after a secret trial on July 19, The Associated Press reported on Monday.

Citing records from the Supreme Court of Tatarstan and court spokesperson Natalya Loseva, AP reported that Kurmasheva was convicted of “spreading false information” about the Russian military in a case classified as secret. 

Kurmasheva’s conviction was handed down on the same day another Russian court convicted Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich of espionage and sentenced him to 16 years in prison.

An editor for RFE/RL’s Tatar-Bashkir service, Kurmasheva was arrested in Russia in October 2023 on charges of failing to voluntarily register herself as a “foreign agent.” The additional charge of spreading “fake” information about the Russian army was brought against her in December 2023.