National Press Club, Coalition Letter To President Biden On Alsu Kurmasheva Wrongful Detention Designation

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Jun 26, 2024, 09:00 ET

WASHINGTON, June 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Following is a statement by National Press Club President Emily Wilkins on the release of a letter to President Joseph R. Biden calling for the State Department to officially recognize Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty journalist Alsu Kurmasheva as wrongfully detained.

"The National Press Club and supporters in the journalism community have spoken out about the need for the State Department to immediately declare journalists detained by a foreign government as wrongfully detained. We sent a letter on this needed change of policy to President Biden on April 14, 2023. We sent another letter to Secretary Blinken on November 28, 2023, asking that State do more to prioritize the cases of journalists being detained. Yet, no action was taken and there was no reply.

"We will not stop fighting for Alsu. Below is a letter signed this week by 18 journalism and press freedom organizations calling on President Biden to act now to ensure this American journalist is declared wrongfully detained. There is no reason to have not done so after eight months, and there is no reason to wait one more day.

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.

/s/
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

Contact: Bill McCarren, 202-662-7534 for the National Press Club or [email protected]

About the National Press Club
Founded in 1908, the National Press Club is the world's leading professional organization for journalists. The Club has 3,000 members representing nearly every major news organization and is a leading voice for press freedom in the U.S. and worldwide.

SOURCE National Press Club