Two Russian journalists were detained on "extremism" charges in Russia on April 28 for having allegedly worked for a group founded by the late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
Russian authorities have accused Konstantin Gabov and Sergey Karelin, Russian citizens, of producing content for Navalny's YouTube channel, NavalnyLIVE.
The Kremlin has deemed Navalny, who died in northern Russia in February, and organizations affiliated with him as "extremist."
Gabov, who Moscow's Basmanny District Court called a producer for the news agency Reuters, allegedly helped prepare "photo and video materials" for the YouTube channel. He will remain detained until June 27.
In a statement after Gabov's arrest, Reuters clarified that Gabov is a freelance journalist "who in the past occasionally contributed to the Reuters news file," but who "does not do any work for Reuters at this time."
Deutsche Welle (DW) said Gabov is its Moscow correspondent.
Karelin, who has worked with outlets like the Associated Press (AP) and Deutsche Welle in the past, is accused of having participated in an "extremist organization." He was arrested in the northwestern city of Murmansk.
The recent detentions come amid a crackdown on journalists and Kremlin critics in Russia.
Forbes journalist Sergey Mingazov was put under house arrest on April 27 in Russia for having allegedly "produced fakes" about the Russian military.
Oleg Sukhov
(Updated: )
