Russia arrests two more journalists - reports

Russia has reportedly arrested 2 journalists who person been moving with planetary quality outlets.

Sergei Karelin - a Russian and Israeli national - was detained connected Friday, the Associated Press reported. He has antecedently worked with the quality agency.

He is accused of "extremism" successful transportation with alleged enactment for the precocious absorption person Alexei Navalny's instauration - charges helium denies.

A time earlier, Konstantin Gabov was detained connected akin charges.

Mr Gabov has worked with outlets including Reuters.

Both men look a minimum of 2 years successful situation if convicted of alleged "participation successful an extremist organisation". They are the latest journalists to look charges amid heightened repression successful Russia, which has seen state of the property severely limited.

"The Associated Press is precise acrophobic by the detention of Russian video writer Sergey Karelin," the US property bureau said successful a statement. "We are seeking further information."

Mr Karelin and Mr Gabov are accused of helping hole videos for the YouTube transmission of Mr Navalny, who was for years Russia's astir high-profile professional of President Vladimir Putin. Mr Navalny died successful February successful an Arctic penal colony wherever helium had been imprisoned.

In 2021, organisations linked to Mr Navalny were banned arsenic "extremist" - meaning those who enactment them hazard prison.

A writer for Forbes Russia, Sergei Mingazov, was besides arrested this week. He is accused of criticising the Russian army. In 2022 Russia passed a instrumentality imposing a jailhouse word of up to 15 years for spreading "fake" quality astir the military.

Mr Karelin, 41, has worked for the Associated Press and German nationalist broadcaster Deutsche Welle. Mr Gabov is simply a freelance shaper who has worked for organisations including Reuters.

Last October, Russian-American writer Alsu Kurmasheva was arrested connected charges of failing to registry arsenic a overseas agent.

Wall Street Journal newsman Evan Gershkovich has been held for implicit a twelvemonth connected espionage charges. On Tuesday, a Moscow tribunal connected Tuesday denied the US citizen's entreaty against the hold of his pre-trial detention.

Both Mrs Kurmasheva and Mr Gershkovich contradict the charges.