The year has seen a crackdown on journalists in Russia, as six were arrested in March, including Antonina Favorskaya. According to Reporters Without Borders, the arrests are part of a government campaign against the press and opposition. Favorskaya was one of several journalists who had been covering Navalny’s hearings for years, alongside other critics of Putin’s regime.
Favorskaya was arrested while laying flowers at the grave of Alexei Navalny, who died in an Arctic penal colony in February. Her arrest coincided with the first anniversary of the arrest of American journalist Evan Gershkovich from the Wall Street Journal on charges of espionage. While Russian authorities have signaled that they are open to an exchange of prisoners with the United States, only after the verdict of the journalist from the Wall Street Journal is reached.
The accusation against Favorskaya alleges that she gathered material, edited, and produced videos for the Foundation to Combat Corruption, led by Navalny, which was declared extremist by Russian authorities. Favorskaya’s colleague Kira Yarmysh denied her involvement in producing materials for the organization and stated that she had become a target for carrying out her work as a journalist.
Two other colleagues of Favorskaya were also arrested according to SOTAvision, an independent Russian outlet. The crackdown on journalists has raised concerns about freedom of speech and media censorship in Russia.
