Two Russian Journalists Arrested on ‘Extremism’ Charges, Allegedly Linked to Navalny Group

Konstantin Gabov and Sergey Karelin, two Russian journalists, have been arrested on charges of ‘extremism.’ Authorities claim they are linked to a group associated with the late Russian opposition figure, Alexey Navalny, according to a CNN report. Gabov and Karelin are believed to have contributed to Navalny’s popular YouTube channel, ‘NavalnyLIVE,’ which is known for its exposés on corruption within the Kremlin and has attracted millions of viewers.

Russian authorities have labeled Navalny and his organizations as ‘extremist,’ leading to the imprisonment of his associates and the exile of many others, as CNN reported. Moscow’s Basmanny District Court alleges that Gabov’s involvement includes producing visual content for the YouTube channel. Gabov, identified as a producer for the Reuters news agency, is facing detention until June 27.

Karelin, who was arrested in Russia’s Murmansk region, is accused of ‘participating in an extremist organization.’ He has a background in journalism, having previously worked for outlets such as the Associated Press (AP) and Deutsche Welle (DW), before the latter was banned in Russia in 2022. Images from a Murmansk court show Karelin, who holds dual Russian-Israeli citizenship, seated in a glass enclosure during his hearing.

The arrests of Gabov and Karelin are part of a wider crackdown on journalists and critics of the Kremlin in Russia. The administration of President Vladimir Putin has ramped up efforts to quell dissent, especially in the wake of the Ukraine invasion. Sergey Mingazov, a journalist for Forbes, was recently placed under house arrest for allegedly spreading false information about the Russian military.

Navalny, who was once Putin’s main political adversary, died in custody while serving a long sentence on extremism charges. His family and supporters have accused the Kremlin of being complicit in his death, a claim that Russian authorities have strongly denied, as reported by CNN.