Vladimir Putin continues to take Americans hostage.
On October 18, authorities in Kazan detained Alsu Kurmasheva, a dual US-Russian citizen and a journalist with Radio Free Europe’s Tatar-Bashkir Service, and charged her with violating Russia’s absurd foreign agent law. She faces five years in prison for the alleged crimes of being an American and being a journalist. Russia has also denied her consular access, despite requests from the U.S. State Department.
On The Power Vertical Podcast this week, host Brian Whitmore speaks with Alsu Kurmasheva’s husband, Pavel Butorin, director of Current Time television, a Russian-language channel produced by RFE/RL in cooperation with Voice of America.
SHOW NOTES
The audio clips opening the podcast and the second segment came from an interview Pavel Butorin gave to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. The interview can be accessed here.
More information about Alsu Kurmasheva and how to help with her case can be accessed here. Share the hashtag #FreeAlsu