Tue Nov 26 18:15:46 UTC 2024: ## Russian Journalist Sentenced to Four Years for “Discrediting” Army
**Moscow, November 26, 2024** – A Russian journalist, identified by rights groups as Nika Novak, was sentenced to four years in prison on Tuesday for allegedly cooperating with a foreign media outlet and producing content that denigrated the Russian army. The trial, held behind closed doors in Zabaykalsky Krai, followed Novak’s arrest in December 2023.
The FSB security service accused Novak of assisting in the creation of inaccurate materials aimed at damaging Russia’s reputation and destabilizing the country during its ongoing military campaign in Ukraine. While the specific foreign media outlet was not named, Radio Free Europe – designated a foreign agent by Moscow – stated that Novak had worked as a freelance correspondent for them since 2022.
This sentencing highlights Russia’s intensified crackdown on independent media and dissent since the invasion of Ukraine. Strict censorship laws introduced in February 2022 impose lengthy prison sentences for spreading “false information” or discrediting the military. Dozens of journalists have left the country since the offensive began.
The Memorial human rights group has declared Novak a political prisoner, noting her apparent anti-Ukrainian views on social media, but also highlighting her criticism of local authorities’ handling of the war and neglect of local issues. This case follows the arrest and subsequent release of another Radio Free Europe reporter, Alsu Kurmasheva, in a prisoner exchange. Novak’s conviction underscores the ongoing suppression of press freedom within Russia.
First Piper 