Russian journalist Sergei Karelin has been detained in Russia for “extremism” after being accused of making videos for the late dissident Alexei Navalny’s team, according to the Associated Press international news agency.
Karelin, who has previously worked for the AP, is the second journalist to be arrested on such allegations, following the detention of Konstantin Gabov, who occasionally worked for Reuters news agency and was detained on Saturday.
Both Karelin and Gabov are accused of helping to prepare videos for the YouTube channel NavalnyLIVE, a platform used by Navalny’s team. Navalny, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s most prominent critic, died in a Russian prison in February under murky circumstances.
The Russian authorities have been cracking down on independent and foreign media in recent months, particularly targeting those associated with Navalny’s movement, which has been designated as “extremist”.
Several other journalists have also been detained on various charges, including spreading “false information” about army abuses in Ukraine and not registering as a “foreign agent” as required by the authorities.
The arrests of Karelin and Gabov, along with the other journalists, highlight the ongoing suppression of dissenting voices in Russia, particularly in the wake of the country’s offensive against Ukraine.
The international community has expressed concern over the crackdown on press freedom in Russia, with many calling for the immediate release of the detained journalists.