The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has condemned the detention of Russian journalist Ekaterina Barabash, who faces up to 10 years in prison for criticizing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Barabash, a film critic for the independent outlet Republic, was arrested on February 25 and placed under house arrest the following day for allegedly spreading “fake news” about the Russian military’s actions in Ukraine. A Moscow court ordered that she remain under house arrest until April 25, with strict restrictions on her communications, including a ban on publishing or using social media.
Barabash has been charged under Article 207.3 of the Russian Criminal Code, which criminalizes the dissemination of “knowingly false information” regarding Russia’s armed forces. The charges stem from several social media posts she made in 2022 and 2023, where she publicly criticized the Russian army’s conduct in Ukraine.
Carlos Martínez de la Serna, CPJ’s program director, condemned the case, arguing that it demonstrates how Russian authorities are using “fake news” laws to silence opposition voices. He stressed that Barabash’s detention is part of a broader crackdown on free expression, with the Russian government tightening its grip on media and dissent since the start of the war in 2022.
The case underscores the ongoing erosion of press freedoms in Russia, where laws targeting “foreign agents” and “fake news” have resulted in the arrest of journalists and activists critical of the government. According to CPJ’s 2024 report, a significant portion of journalists detained in Russia have been imprisoned for spreading “fake news” related to the war in Ukraine.
As the crackdown on media intensifies, international human rights organizations continue to raise concerns about the shrinking space for independent journalism in Russia.
