Statement from the RFE/RL Board of Directors on the Release of Alsu Kurmasheva
The Board of Directors of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty welcomes home RFE/RL journalist Alsu Kurmasheva following her release from unjust detention in the Russian Federation.
WASHINGTON, D.C.— The Board of Directors of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty welcomes home long-time RFE/RL journalist Alsu Kurmasheva following her release from unjust detention in the Russian Federation. Alsu arrived safely in the United States earlier this week where she was greeted with hugs and tears of joy from her family, President Biden, and Vice President Harris.
Alsu’s nightmare began in June 2023, when Russian officials kept her from leaving Russia, and intensified in October when she was imprisoned, falsely accused, and then convicted for spreading false information about the Russian military. Her husband, Pavel Butorin, and their daughters, Bibi (16) and Miriam (13), fought courageously for Alsu’s release over the last thirteen months, never giving up hope.
RFE/RL President and CEO Steve Capus has prioritized Alsu’s release ever since he took the reins of the organization in January. He and the RFE/RL External Affairs team, headed by Diane Zeleny, have worked tirelessly for this day, and the Board commends their exemplary efforts.
The RFE/RL Board extends its gratitude to the U.S. government, including the National Security Council, State Department staff, and Alsu’s champions in Congress, who worked assiduously and across continents to free Alsu and many others who were unjustly imprisoned in Russia. The Board also thanks the National Press Club, The Committee to Protect Journalists, Reporters Without Borders, and the many other organizations that advocated so effectively for Alsu’s release.
As we celebrate the return of Alsu, we must also remember other RFE/RL journalists who remain wrongfully detained: Andrey Kuznechyk and Ihar Losik, held in Belarus, and Vlad Yesypenko, held in Russia-occupied Crimea. RFE/RL President Capus and his staff will continue their steadfast efforts to gain the freedom of Andrey, Ihar, and Vlad. Like Alsu, they are being punished for merely doing their jobs—reporting facts to the public.
The RFE/RL Board is committed to doing all it can to protect the safety of all RFE/RL journalists, many of whom are putting their lives on the line daily to ensure that the truth is told in their home countries and to the rest of the world. We are proud of the groundbreaking work RFE/RL journalists are doing at a time when reporting the truth is as dangerous as ever.
RFE/RL’s mission to promote democratic values, free and accurate media, and open debate in societies where free press is stifled and disinformation runs rampant has never been more important. The RFE/RL Board strongly condemns the growing trend of violence against and unlawful detentions of journalists worldwide. Journalism should never be a crime.
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About RFE/RL
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) is a private, independent international news organization whose programs — radio, Internet, television, and mobile — reach influential audiences in 23 countries, including Russia, Ukraine, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, the republics of Central Asia and the Caucasus. It is funded by the U.S. Congress through USAGM.