US-Russian journalist convicted in a rapid, secret trial, court records show

UNDATED (AP)- A Russian court says it has convicted Alsu Kurmasheva, a Russian-American journalist for the U.S. government-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, of spreading false information about the Russian military and sentenced her to 6½ years in prison following a secret trial. Court records and officials said Monday (July 22, 2024) the conviction came Friday in the city of Kazan. The website of the Supreme Court of Tatarstan said Kurmasheva was convicted of “spreading false information” about the Russian army. Court spokesperson Natalya Loseva confirmed to The Associated Press by phone that Kurmasheva was sentenced to 6½ in prison in a case classified as secret, with no details available of the nature of the accusations against her.