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Moscow court orders in absentia arrest of journalist Andrei Loshak in terrorism case
En breve
A Moscow court on 29 September ordered the in absentia arrest of journalist and documentary filmmaker Andrei Loshak in a case of justifying terrorism, according to court records and state agencies. He has also been placed on a wanted list, and his defence has appealed, with the Moscow City Court due to hear the appeal on 14 October. The documents say the substance of the case is unknown.
Leer la noticia completa 2 min de lectura
The Basmanny District Court of Moscow ordered the in absentia arrest of journalist and documentary filmmaker Andrei Loshak in a case of justifying terrorism, according to RIA Novosti, TASS, Meduza, Vedomosti, Kommersant and RBC. Kommersant, citing the court's press service and RIA Novosti, reported that Loshak was also placed on an international wanted list. Vedomosti, citing the Basmanny court's records, said the charge is under part 2 of article 205.2 of the Criminal Code, which carries a sentence of five to seven years. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
Meduza reported that the hearing took place on 29 September but that the case and the arrest had not been reported before 6 October. Kommersant also dated the decision to 29 September. Meduza said Loshak had been declared wanted but had not yet been added to Rosfinmonitoring's register of terrorists and extremists. Meduza, TASS and Kommersant each stated that the substance of the case is unknown. [ 2 , 3 , 5 ]
According to Kommersant, the defence filed an appeal, which the Moscow City Court is due to consider on 14 October. Kommersant further explained that an in absentia arrest does not mean the defendant is immediately placed in a Russian detention centre: in such cases the court sets a two-month term running from extradition or detention, and the ruling allows the Russian side to ask Interpol to organise an international search. Kommersant said the practical result depends on Interpol's decision in the specific case, recalling that Interpol removed Alexei and Dmitry Ananyev from its wanted list in November 2020 after finding their prosecution politically motivated, and that in April 2021 it was reported that international searches of other defendants might likewise prove fruitless. [ 5 ]
Meduza and Vedomosti described Loshak as a Russian journalist and author of documentary films and reports. Meduza listed his recent work as the film “Pentagon”, about residents of the Saratov region living below the poverty line, and the project “The Age of Disagreement” about supporters of Alexei Navalny who took part in his 2018 campaign. Vedomosti said he was known for reports on the NTV programme “Namedni” in the early 2000s and as one of the authors of the series “Profession — Reporter”; it described him as a co-founder and former editor-in-chief of the social information portal “Takie dela” and as a former editorial director of Esquire. [ 2 , 4 ]
Kommersant reported that Loshak worked in television from 1995, when he became an administrator on Leonid Parfyonov's “Namedni”, that he worked as a correspondent on the programmes “Segodnya” and “Strana i mir” between 2001 and 2004, that he left NTV in 2010 and that he won the national TEFI television award as best reporter in 2003. Meduza, Vedomosti and Kommersant said he left Russia after the start of the war with Ukraine, Meduza and Vedomosti noting that he condemned Russia's military actions. Meduza, Vedomosti, Kommersant and RBC said the Justice Ministry declared him a foreign agent in 2023. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
Por qué importa
The case adds to a series of criminal proceedings against Russian journalists and filmmakers who have left the country, and the in absentia arrest allows Moscow to seek the defendant through Interpol — though Kommersant notes the practical result depends on Interpol's own decision. Because the details of the charge have not been disclosed, the documents give no basis for assessing the specific evidence behind it.
Datos clave
- The Basmanny District Court of Moscow ordered the in absentia arrest of journalist and documentary filmmaker Andrei Loshak in a case of justifying terrorism. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- Vedomosti, citing the court's records, said the charge is under part 2 of article 205.2 of the Criminal Code, punishable by five to seven years in prison. [ 4 ]
- The hearing took place on 29 September and was not reported until 6 October. [ 2 , 5 ]
- Loshak was also placed on a wanted list, which Kommersant described as an international search. [ 2 , 5 ]
- The defence filed an appeal; the Moscow City Court is due to consider it on 14 October. [ 5 ]
- Meduza reported that Loshak had not yet been added to Rosfinmonitoring's register of terrorists and extremists. [ 2 ]
- Loshak left Russia after 2022 and was declared a foreign agent by the Justice Ministry in 2023. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
Confirmado por varias fuentes
- The Basmanny District Court of Moscow ordered the in absentia arrest of Andrei Loshak in a case of justifying terrorism. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- The court hearing was held on 29 September. [ 2 , 5 ]
- Loshak was placed on a wanted list. [ 2 , 5 ]
- Loshak left Russia after 2022 and was designated a foreign agent by the Russian Justice Ministry in 2023. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
Aún sin aclarar
- The substance of the case against Loshak is not known. Meduza, TASS and Kommersant each state that the details of the case are unknown; no document describes the specific content at issue.
- Whether the international search will lead to Loshak's detention or extradition. Kommersant explains that an in absentia arrest does not mean immediate placement in detention and that the practical result depends on Interpol's decision in the specific case.
- Whether Loshak will be added to Rosfinmonitoring's register of terrorists and extremists. Meduza says he had been declared wanted but not yet included in the register, a single-source claim.
Qué dicen los medios locales
Cronología, hora local
- The Basmanny District Court of Moscow holds a hearing and orders the in absentia arrest of Andrei Loshak, according to Meduza and Kommersant; the decision is not reported at the time. [ 2 , 5 ]
- RIA Novosti reports the in absentia arrest. [ 1 ]
- Meduza reports that a case over justification of terrorism has been opened against Loshak. [ 2 ]
- TASS reports the in absentia arrest, noting the details of the case are unknown. [ 3 ]
- Vedomosti reports the arrest, citing the Basmanny court's records and naming the charge. [ 4 ]
- Kommersant reports that the defence has filed an appeal and that the Moscow City Court will hear it on 14 October. [ 5 ]
- RBC reports the arrest, citing TASS and the court's electronic database. [ 6 ]
- The Moscow City Court is due to consider the defence appeal against the in absentia arrest, according to Kommersant. [ 5 ]