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Husband of American journalist detained in Russia: “I have no intention of giving up''

Bibi Butrin, 15, has not been home with her mother in Prague since last spring. Her mother, Ars Kurmasheva, is an American-Russian journalist currently detained in Russia. “My mother is definitely my biggest inspiration,” Bibi said. “And I miss her more than she can say. And I'm so worried about her safety.”

She said the family understood it was a risk for her mother to go to Russia, “but she was only going for two weeks, and it was for my grandmother who was sick.”

Kurmaseva was returning from a personal visit to Kazan in June when Russian authorities confiscated her passport. She had not declared her U.S. citizenship. She said Ms. Kurmaseva was allowed to stay with her mother until October. At that moment, masked police officers came knocking on her mother's apartment door and took her away.

free-alsu-kurmasheva-1280.jpg
Ars Kurmasheva, an American-Russian journalist who was detained in Russia.

CBS News


This has turned Pavel Butrin into a kind of single father. Both of their daughters have American nationality, just like their mother. “She is in prison in Russia because she is an American citizen and she is a journalist,” Pavel said. “And the Russian government appears to be adding to her case against her.”

Ms. Kurumasheva's pretrial detention was extended until April 5. She is charged with failing to self-register as a foreign agent and spreading false information about the Russian military.which can mean prison terms of up to five and 10 years respectively.

Kurumasheva is listed as the editor of a book, “Say no to war” It features stories of everyday people protesting Russia's invasion of Ukraine. “I know this book is a problem. It's featured in her case file,” Pavel said. “There is nothing inflammatory in these articles, nothing criminal. There is no call for violence in this book. This is just an opinion, not even an opinion of Ars. But… As a journalist, she certainly has the right to collect and present all opinions.”

Both Butrin and Kurumasheva are journalists at Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), based in Prague. Funded by U.S. taxpayers, it is editorially independent and reports news in 27 languages ​​from 23 countries, including Iran and Afghanistan.

Steve Capus is president of RFE/RL. “When freedom of expression is shut down in one place after another, when the lights go out in one place, we turn them back on,” he said. “Our office is committed to fundamental practices of accurate journalism that may not be practiced otherwise today.”

That would put his journalists at risk.

Kaps, who worked for CBS and NBC, posted photos of Kurmaseva and three other currently detained RFE/RL journalists, one in Russian-controlled Crimea and two in Belarus, while on duty. I keep it next to the photo of the deceased reporter.

“It kind of grabs their attention and makes them pay attention and make them realize that so much is at stake here and now, and to never forget that they need to get back home.” We have a way to do that,” Capas said.

They have been in regular contact with the Wall Street Journal, whose reporter, 32-year-old American Evan Gershkovitch, has also been arrested on suspicion of espionage and is being held in Russia.

Doan asked, “Many Americans have never heard of Ars. Why is the name Ars so unfamiliar to Americans?”

“That's right,” Capas said. “President Biden put her name forward in late December, and we are all coordinating contacts to bring as much attention to her case as possible.”

Jody Ginsburg, who runs the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) in New York, called the Kurumasheva case “very disturbing.”

Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, journalists have been detained more frequently than before, she said. “New laws were introduced that made reporting on the war extremely difficult,” Ginsburg said. “flat to call If a war breaks out, you might be sentenced to prison. ”

According to CPJ statistics, 320 journalists are imprisoned around the world for their work. Most have been imprisoned for reporting in their own countries, and nearly half have been imprisoned in just five countries: Russia, Iran, China, Myanmar and Belarus.

“I think this reflects the decline in democracy that we've seen over the years,” Ginsburg said.

Detention of foreign journalists.jpg
Russia currently detains 12 foreign journalists.

CBS News


Of the 17 foreign journalists detained around the world, 12 are imprisoned in Russia. Ginsburg calls this a “state-sponsored hostage crisis.” She said: “As we saw in the Ars and Evan cases, there is a double effect when you arrest journalists, especially foreign journalists. That means there is.” But this kind of behavior sends a strong message to all journalists that they are not welcome. ”

The United States has classified Gershković as being “unlawfully detained,” but it has not yet given that status to Kurumasheva. The State Department told Sunday Morning that it is “deeply concerned” about Kurumasheva's detention and continues to request access to her, adding: “We continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the detention of American citizens abroad. “I am doing so,” he said.

“Designating an individual, a U.S. citizen, as 'unlawfully detained' means more resources from the government for their case,” Ginsburg said. “It needs to be as well known as Evan's case.” “It is very important that they and all the journalists who were wrongfully detained are released,” she said.

Efforts are underway to raise Kurumsheva's profile, from billboards in Times Square to groups of friends gathering at restaurants in Prague.

Seattle resident Todd Benson said Pavel Butrin and his daughters have been doing very well since Ars' arrest. “But deep down I think they're hurt.”

And that hurt surfaced while Pavel was reading a note sent to his wife from prison that read, “Celebrate Freedom and Love, Ars.”

It is up to the U.S. government to declare her “unlawful detention.” Ultimately, Ars Kurmasheva's fate will be decided by the Russians. So for now, Pavel is trying to control what he can. “We need to keep it together,” he said. “I don't want to involve emotions.”

Doan said, “I think everyone can understand being emotional…''

“Maybe that's what they want. Maybe they want us to be crushed, to capitulate, to give up,” Pavel said. “I will not give up. We will not rest until we see Ars at home with his family.”


For more information:


Story produced by Julie Krakoff and Duarte Diaz. Editor: Carol Ross.


See also:


Breaking through Russia's digital iron curtain

04:13

Summarize this content to 100 words Bibi Butrin, 15, has not been home with her mother in Prague since last spring. Her mother, Ars Kurmasheva, is an American-Russian journalist currently detained in Russia. “My mother is definitely my biggest inspiration,” Bibi said. “And I miss her more than she can say. And I'm so worried about her safety.”She said the family understood it was a risk for her mother to go to Russia, “but she was only going for two weeks, and it was for my grandmother who was sick.”Kurmaseva was returning from a personal visit to Kazan in June when Russian authorities confiscated her passport. She had not declared her U.S. citizenship. She said Ms. Kurmaseva was allowed to stay with her mother until October. At that moment, masked police officers came knocking on her mother's apartment door and took her away.

Ars Kurmasheva, an American-Russian journalist who was detained in Russia.

CBS News

This has turned Pavel Butrin into a kind of single father. Both of their daughters have American nationality, just like their mother. “She is in prison in Russia because she is an American citizen and she is a journalist,” Pavel said. “And the Russian government appears to be adding to her case against her.”

Ms. Kurumasheva's pretrial detention was extended until April 5. She is charged with failing to self-register as a foreign agent and spreading false information about the Russian military.which can mean prison terms of up to five and 10 years respectively.Kurumasheva is listed as the editor of a book, “Say no to war” It features stories of everyday people protesting Russia's invasion of Ukraine. “I know this book is a problem. It's featured in her case file,” Pavel said. “There is nothing inflammatory in these articles, nothing criminal. There is no call for violence in this book. This is just an opinion, not even an opinion of Ars. But… As a journalist, she certainly has the right to collect and present all opinions.”

Both Butrin and Kurumasheva are journalists at Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), based in Prague. Funded by U.S. taxpayers, it is editorially independent and reports news in 27 languages ​​from 23 countries, including Iran and Afghanistan. Steve Capus is president of RFE/RL. “When freedom of expression is shut down in one place after another, when the lights go out in one place, we turn them back on,” he said. “Our office is committed to fundamental practices of accurate journalism that may not be practiced otherwise today.”That would put his journalists at risk. Kaps, who worked for CBS and NBC, posted photos of Kurmaseva and three other currently detained RFE/RL journalists, one in Russian-controlled Crimea and two in Belarus, while on duty. I keep it next to the photo of the deceased reporter.

“It kind of grabs their attention and makes them pay attention and make them realize that so much is at stake here and now, and to never forget that they need to get back home.” We have a way to do that,” Capas said. They have been in regular contact with the Wall Street Journal, whose reporter, 32-year-old American Evan Gershkovitch, has also been arrested on suspicion of espionage and is being held in Russia. Doan asked, “Many Americans have never heard of Ars. Why is the name Ars so unfamiliar to Americans?””That's right,” Capas said. “President Biden put her name forward in late December, and we are all coordinating contacts to bring as much attention to her case as possible.”Jody Ginsburg, who runs the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) in New York, called the Kurumasheva case “very disturbing.”Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, journalists have been detained more frequently than before, she said. “New laws were introduced that made reporting on the war extremely difficult,” Ginsburg said. “flat to call If a war breaks out, you might be sentenced to prison. ”According to CPJ statistics, 320 journalists are imprisoned around the world for their work. Most have been imprisoned for reporting in their own countries, and nearly half have been imprisoned in just five countries: Russia, Iran, China, Myanmar and Belarus.

“I think this reflects the decline in democracy that we've seen over the years,” Ginsburg said.

Russia currently detains 12 foreign journalists.

CBS News

Of the 17 foreign journalists detained around the world, 12 are imprisoned in Russia. Ginsburg calls this a “state-sponsored hostage crisis.” She said: “As we saw in the Ars and Evan cases, there is a double effect when you arrest journalists, especially foreign journalists. That means there is.” But this kind of behavior sends a strong message to all journalists that they are not welcome. ”The United States has classified Gershković as being “unlawfully detained,” but it has not yet given that status to Kurumasheva. The State Department told Sunday Morning that it is “deeply concerned” about Kurumasheva's detention and continues to request access to her, adding: “We continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the detention of American citizens abroad. “I am doing so,” he said.”Designating an individual, a U.S. citizen, as 'unlawfully detained' means more resources from the government for their case,” Ginsburg said. “It needs to be as well known as Evan's case.” “It is very important that they and all the journalists who were wrongfully detained are released,” she said.Efforts are underway to raise Kurumsheva's profile, from billboards in Times Square to groups of friends gathering at restaurants in Prague. Seattle resident Todd Benson said Pavel Butrin and his daughters have been doing very well since Ars' arrest. “But deep down I think they're hurt.” And that hurt surfaced while Pavel was reading a note sent to his wife from prison that read, “Celebrate Freedom and Love, Ars.”

It is up to the U.S. government to declare her “unlawful detention.” Ultimately, Ars Kurmasheva's fate will be decided by the Russians. So for now, Pavel is trying to control what he can. “We need to keep it together,” he said. “I don't want to involve emotions.”Doan said, “I think everyone can understand being emotional…''”Maybe that's what they want. Maybe they want us to be crushed, to capitulate, to give up,” Pavel said. “I will not give up. We will not rest until we see Ars at home with his family.” For more information: Story produced by Julie Krakoff and Duarte Diaz. Editor: Carol Ross. See also:

Breaking through Russia's digital iron curtain

04:13

Seth Doan

Seth Doan is an award-winning CBS News correspondent living in Rome.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-journalist-alsu-kurmasheva-detained-in-russia/ Husband of American journalist detained in Russia: “I have no intention of giving up''

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