Russia Blocks Justice: Court Rejects Appeal from Journalists Linked to Alexei Navalny

December 04, 2025 – Russia – 

A Moscow court has rejected the appeal of four journalists convicted earlier this year for alleged ties to the anti-corruption group founded by opposition figure Alexei Navalny — a move that intensifies concerns over media suppression in Russia.

The journalists — Antonina Favorskaya, Konstantin Gabov, Sergey Karelin, and Artyom Kriger — were convicted in April 2025 of “extremism” for allegedly cooperating with Navalny’s banned anti-corruption foundation, a group outlawed by Russian authorities in 2021. Each received a 5½-year sentence in a closed-door trial.

Their appeal, which challenged both the legitimacy of the trial and the extremist ruling, was dismissed without public explanation. The defendants maintain their innocence, insisting they were simply doing journalistic work — investigating, documenting, and reporting events, rather than engaging in extremist activity. Their lawyers described the verdict and its rejection as unjust and politically charged.

Media-freedom organisations denounced the decision. Critics argue that the case illustrates a broader crackdown on independent reporting in Russia, where laws against “extremism” are increasingly used to target dissenting voices. Observers fear that with the appeal denied, the path for other journalists is even more precarious — sending a chilling message to reporters, editors, and media workers.

This development adds to a broader pattern of repression that has accelerated since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, when the authorities significantly tightened control over media, civil society, and political opposition. The conviction of these four journalists is among the most visible examples of how legal mechanisms are being used to silence independent media under the guise of national security.

As the appeal is rejected and prison sentences confirmed, press-freedom advocates warn: reporting in Russia is no longer just risky — it may lead to long-term imprisonment.

Reference – 

https://www.dw.com/en/russia-appeal-rejected-for-journalists-tied-to-navalny/a-75019836

Russia: Appeal rejected for journalists tied to Navalny