Russia Tortures Journalists Who Reject State Propaganda, Reports Show

Russian authorities have intensified their campaign against independent journalism, with multiple cases of detained journalists facing torture and mistreatment for refusing to participate in state propaganda, according to human rights advocates and media freedom organizations.

The detention of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) journalist Alsu Kurmasheva in October marks the latest in a troubling pattern of press freedom violations. Kurmasheva, who holds dual U.S.-Russian citizenship, was initially detained while visiting Russia to care for her ailing mother. Authorities confiscated her passports before formally arresting her on charges of failing to register as a “foreign agent.”

Her case follows that of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who has been imprisoned since March on espionage charges widely condemned as fabricated by the international community. The U.S. government has classified Gershkovich as “wrongfully detained” and continues to advocate for his immediate release.

Human rights monitors have documented alarming accounts of physical and psychological abuse against detained journalists. Multiple former detainees report being subjected to electric shocks, sleep deprivation, and prolonged isolation when they refused to make false confessions or participate in propaganda videos for Russian state media.

“This represents a systematic effort to silence independent voices,” said Maria Kolesnikova, director of the Press Freedom Monitor, an international NGO tracking media suppression. “Journalists are being treated not just as criminals but as enemies of the state for simply doing their job.”

The crackdown has accelerated since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, more than 20 reporters have been detained on politically motivated charges in Russia since the war began. Many face accusations under the country’s expansive “foreign agent” and “undesirable organization” laws, which effectively criminalize independent reporting.

Russian authorities have particularly targeted journalists covering the war in Ukraine or contradicting official narratives. Reporters who used terms like “war” or “invasion” instead of the government-mandated “special military operation” have faced immediate consequences.

Vladimir Kara-Murza, a Russian-British journalist and opposition figure sentenced to 25 years in prison for treason, described the treatment of media workers in Russian detention centers as “medieval.” Through his legal team, he has reported being denied medical care and subjected to psychological torture.

“The goal is not just punishment but public humiliation,” explained former Moscow-based media analyst Pavel Makarov, who fled Russia in 2022. “By forcing journalists to recant on camera or admit to imaginary crimes, authorities attempt to discredit all independent reporting.”

The impact extends beyond those physically detained. Thousands of Russian journalists have fled the country since 2022, creating a diaspora of exiled media workers attempting to provide accurate information to Russian audiences from abroad. Digital outlets like Meduza, Dozhd (TV Rain), and Novaya Gazeta Europe now operate from Latvia, the Netherlands, and other European countries.

Those remaining in Russia face increasing pressure to conform to state narratives. Editors at several formerly independent outlets report receiving weekly directives from government officials about permitted topics and required language. Non-compliance results in fines, website blockages, or criminal charges.

International response has been forceful but with limited effect. The European Union has condemned Russia’s treatment of journalists as “a flagrant violation of media freedom and human rights.” The United States continues to press for the release of Gershkovich, Kurmasheva, and other detained Americans through diplomatic channels.

Media freedom organizations argue that more concrete action is needed. “Statements of concern are insufficient when journalists are being tortured,” said Robert Mahoney of the Committee to Protect Journalists. “Governments must impose targeted sanctions against those responsible for these abuses.”

For ordinary Russians, access to independent information grows increasingly restricted. With most non-state-aligned websites blocked and social media platforms heavily censored, the government’s information monopoly strengthens daily.

As one anonymous Moscow journalist put it: “The war against Ukraine began with a war against truth. Those of us trying to preserve that truth are now treated as combatants on the wrong side.”