Russia opens criminal case against journalist critical of Ukraine war

PHOTO CAPTION: Illustrative photo by Max Fleischmann via Unsplash

Russia's Investigative Committee said on Tuesday that it had launched criminal proceedings against a prominent journalist who heads a publication in neighbouring Latvia providing critical coverage of the three-year-old conflict in Ukraine.

The Moscow branch of the committee, which deals with major criminal cases in Russia, said it had opened the case against Russian-born Galina Timchenko, co-founder and head of the Meduza publication.

It said the case was based on organising the activities of an "undesirable organisation" and posting videos "to foment protest sentiment and to involve the public in the activities" of such an organisation.

Institutions deemed "undesirable" on grounds that they threaten Russia's constitutional order, can be subject to fines or orders to dissolve.

Meduza, which reports in detail on Moscow's full-scale invasion of its neighbour, said in an announcement posted online that Timchenko faced six years in prison if convicted.

Timchenko, who had previously headed up prominent publications inside Russia, was last year declared a "foreign agent", a designation which carries negative Soviet-era connotations and imposes difficult bureaucratic requirements.

Hundreds of Russian nationals have had the designation imposed on them.

Since Russia sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine in February 2022, parliament has approved legislation cracking down on dissent in the country, including fines and prison terms for discrediting or spreading false information on the army.

 (Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Sandra Maler)