France has called on Russia to immediately release four journalists sentenced to lengthy prison terms for their coverage of the late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, in what Paris decried as a blatant attempt to crush dissent and suppress freedom of the press.
In a statement released on Wednesday, April 16, French Foreign Ministry spokesperson Christophe Lemoine condemned the prison sentences handed down by a Russian court to Antonina Kravtsova, Konstantin Gabov, Sergey Karelin, and Artem Kriger — all of whom were found guilty of supporting so-called “extremist activities” by reporting on Navalny, who died in a penal colony earlier this year.
“France condemns the five-and-a-half-year prison sentences handed down yesterday,” said Lemoine. “The ‘trial of the journalists’ is a new demonstration by the Russian authorities to repress any dissenting opinion and intimidate those who attempt to document the human rights violations for which the Russian government is responsible.”
The four journalists were each sentenced to five years and six months in a general-regime penal colony, according to an Agence France-Presse journalist who was present at the court proceedings.
The verdict has triggered swift international backlash, with press freedom advocates accusing Moscow of weaponizing anti-extremism laws to silence independent voices.
Navalny, President Vladimir Putin’s most prominent critic, was labeled an extremist by Russian authorities and his organizations were banned in 2021.
Following the ban, many of his supporters, associates, and media allies were detained or forced into exile. Navalny died under mysterious circumstances in an Arctic prison in February 2024 — a development that sparked international outrage and renewed scrutiny of Russia’s political repression.
The four convicted journalists have long histories of reporting on political opposition and state repression. Kravtsova, 35, was a reporter for the independent media outlet SOTAvision, which has covered numerous protests and political trials.
Gabov, 38, worked with Reuters and other international outlets, while Karelin, 42, who also holds Israeli citizenship, contributed to the Associated Press and Deutsche Welle. The youngest of the group, Kriger, 24, was also affiliated with SOTAvision and had covered key court cases involving opposition activists.
“These journalists have merely done their jobs — documenting events and informing the public,” said Jeanne Cavelier of Reporters Without Borders (RSF). “Their imprisonment is another chilling message to all who dare to challenge the Kremlin’s narrative.”
France has urged Russia to uphold its obligations under international law, particularly regarding press freedom and the right to information.
“France is calling for the immediate and unconditional release of all those prosecuted for political reasons,” Lemoine added. “Russia must respect its international commitments regarding freedom of expression.”
Despite mounting pressure from European governments and rights organizations, the Kremlin has shown no signs of reversing course.
Independent journalism in Russia continues to face an existential threat, with dozens of media outlets shuttered or labeled as “foreign agents” since the war in Ukraine began in 2022.
As the crackdown deepens, the fate of Kravtsova, Gabov, Karelin, and Kriger has become emblematic of the broader repression faced by journalists working under President Putin’s regime.
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