Russia’s Federal Security Service (Федеральная служба безопасности Российской Федерации – FSB – ФСБ) on Friday 27 September 2024 announced opening criminal cases against Romanian journalist Mircea Barbu, a correspondent for HotNews.ro (https://hotnews.ro/), and Australian journalists, Catherine Diss and Fletcher Young from ABC News (https://abcnews.go.com/), for allegedly illegally crossing the Russian border while reporting from the Kursk region (Курская область), Russia. The journalists covered the war in the Ukrainian-controlled parts of Kursk region in Russia where the Ukrainian army launched an incursion in early August.
The charges against them are based on Article 322 of the Russian Penal Code, which prohibits illegal border crossings and can carry a penalty of up to five years in prison. This development is part of a broader crackdown on foreign journalists, with Russia having opened 12 similar cases against international reporters since 17 August 2024 for covering the situation in Kursk.
The report from Mircea Barbu is visible online on: https://hotnews.ro/exclusiv-videoreportaj-in-kursk-cum-se-simt-rusii-cand-razboiul-de-pe-canapea-a-ajuns-acasa-la-ei-si-cum-arata-discutiile-dintre-soldatii-ucraineni-si-localnicii-rusi-1779323.
After HotNews published his coverage in Kursk, Barbu also received death threats from allegedly Russian propagandists on Telegram on the “Dva Majora” (Два майора) Telegram channel, which, according to its own description, belongs to “real soldiers” and has over 1.18 million followers. The channel published following threat: “It is obvious that such reports already have a demonstrative character and are intended to cause reputational damage to Russia. Criminal cases are no longer as effective as the Iskander missile defense system or the FAB-500 from the UMPK. The Reuters “journalists” who strayed into the DNR last week have already appreciated the effect of the inevitability of punishment. In fact, they are not journalists. They are information mercenaries”. FAB-500 is a 500-kilogram aviation bomb from Soviet time with a high-explosive warhead. UMPK are Universal planning and correction module that is used for old Soviet bombs.
Russian authorities claim Barbu entered the country illegally and have demanded that HotNews.ro condemn the Ukrainian military’s actions.
Mircea Barbu stated that this action raises serious questions about press freedom and journalists’ fundamental rights, arguing that the move represents a direct attack on freedom of expression. He emphasized that journalists, according to the Geneva Convention, should be protected while performing their duties, and any attack against them is a clear violation of their rights. HotNews.ro acknowledged that its journalist crossed the border without Russia’s permission but argued that such incidents are part of the journalistic duty to provide independent information from conflict zones. This stance echoes the actions of journalists from other countries who have crossed borders during significant conflicts, reporting from areas where their presence serves the public interest. Romania’s National Audiovisual Council (CNA) reacted and is seeking protection for journalist Mircea Barbu. CNA said that Mircea Barbu’s reports, are penned with professionalism.
The FSB’s actions have sparked concerns over Russia’s efforts to limit independent journalism and professional reporting in conflict areas, and represent another instance of how the Kremlin is exerting pressure on the media to control narratives around the conflict in Ukraine. Despite the risks, journalists like Barbu remain committed to delivering factual reporting from conflict zones, underscoring the essential role of the press in bringing truth to the public.
he South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) condemns the Russian Federal Security Service’s (FSB) recent opening of criminal cases against journalists, including Romanian journalist Mircea Barbu and Australian journalists Fletcher Young and Catherine Diss, for their reporting in the Kursk region. This act is a clear violation of press freedom and an attempt to intimidate journalists who are committed to bringing the truth to light, even in challenging conflict zones. SEEMO calls on the Russian authorities to respect the rights of journalists to report independently and without fear of persecution. SEEMO will closely monitor this situation and stands in solidarity with all journalists facing threats and harassment for their work.
South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) is a regional non-governmental, non profit network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in Southeast, South, East and Central Europe. SEEMO members are in Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova (with the territory of Transdnestria), Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Türkiye / Turkey, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. Austria, Italy, Vatican and San Marino have a special status in SEEMO. SEEMO has over 3000 individual members, and additional media as corporate members.
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