AFPC-USA Signs Open Letter to President Biden: Recognize Alsu Kurmasheva as "Wrongfully Detained"
On Wednesday, June 26, the Association of Foreign Press Correspondents in the United States (AFPC-USA) joined 17 press freedom organizations, journalists associations and rights groups to pressure President Joe Biden and the United States government to officially recognize journalist Alsu Kurmasheva as “wrongfully detained.”
When the Secretary of State—in this case Antony Blinken—identifies an individual as wrongfully detained, various offices within the State Department, along with other U.S. government agencies, are mandated to collaborate with both internal and external partners to devise a strategy for securing their release.
Kurmasheva. who has worked with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's Tatar-Bashkir Service for more than two decades, was detained by Russian authorities last October on charges that she'd failed to register as a foreign agent. Last month, the Russian state news agency TASS reported that Kurmasheva would be detained until June 5, a date that has come and gone.
Kurmasheva was the second U.S. journalist detained in Russia last year, following the arrest of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich on espionage charges in March. Gershkovich and his employer have denied the charges, and U.S. authorities have classified him as wrongfully detained. He has now been in custody for more than a year.
The full statement is included below. AFPC-USA joins such distinguished organizations as the National Press Club, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), and Reporters Without Borders (RSF) in calling for the Biden administration to take swift action. The journalism community continues to demand Kurmasheva’s immediate release.
The full statement is included below.
President Joseph R. Biden
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
Washington, D.C.
Dear President Biden:
Alsu Kurmasheva, a U.S. journalist being held in Russia, should be declared wrongfully detained. She meets all the criteria. Her case is currently with the Consular Affairs division of State, which, as you know, handles the cases of Americans who have committed or been charged with crimes such as illegal entry, corruption and other criminal matters. None of these apply to Alsu’s case. She was arrested because she is a journalist and journalism is not a crime. Russia’s only motive for holding her is to trade her for one of their assets.
We have a section of the State Department designed for cases like Alsu’s – the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs. For her case to be transferred there, she first needs to be declared wrongfully detained. She meets all the criteria. This should happen immediately. It should have happened months ago.
We have listened to the State Department twist itself into a pretzel explaining how there are other factors to be considered besides the criteria, but we have yet to hear a clear reason why State cannot declare her wrongfully detained. The lack of transparency and engagement on this critical issue is concerning.
It has taken Alsu’s government far too long to step forward and say that her detention is wrongful. The journalism community demands that action be taken now to appropriately assist Alsu. She has been held eight months, not allowed to see or talk to her children or husband. Your State Department must declare Alsu wrongly detained now.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this urgent matter.
Signed,
The National Press Club
Radio Television Digital News Association
Reporters Committee For Freedom of the Press
Freedom of the Press Foundation
Women Press Freedom
Coalition For Women in Journalism
Hostage Aid Worldwide
Reporters Without Borders
Committee To Protect Journalists
James W. Foley Legacy Foundation
JAWS
Online News Association
News Media Alliance
International Women’s Media Foundation
National Association of Black Journalists
Index on Censorship
Association of Foreign Press Correspondents in USA
The National Press Club Journalism Institute
