Russian critic of Ukraine conflict finds refuge in France aided by non-governmental organization.
Rewritten Article:
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Moscow has stepped up its restrictions on media freedoms, making it a punishable offense to criticize the military and its offensive against Ukraine.
One of the victims of this crackdown is journalist and film critic Ekaterina Barabash, who was arrested in February on charges of spreading "misinformation" about the Russian armed forces through social media posts.
She was apprehended shortly after attending the Berlinale film festival in February and managed to elude house arrest in April.
In an interview with the French news agency AFP at the headquarters of the media watchdog in Paris on Monday, Barabash, 64, revealed her thoughts of suicide to avoid imprisonment.
"I began hunting for a lethal substance," says Barabash, who faces a potential prison sentence of up to 10 years for her criticism of Moscow's actions in Ukraine.
"Russian prisons are not synonymous with life. They are worse than death," she stated at the news conference.
When speaking to reporters, Barabash described her journey to France as "arduous" and taking approximately two-and-a-half weeks.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) played a crucial role in her rescue.
Barabash's son resides in Ukraine, and her 96-year-old mother remains in Moscow. Barabash claimed that "numerous individuals" were involved in her escape, with Leonid Nevzlin, an ally of self-exiled Kremlin critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky, footing the bill for her evacuation.
"I traversed all borders on my own," said Barabash, who was born in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv when it was still part of the Soviet Union.
In the past, RSF had facilitated the escape of former Russian state television journalist Marina Ovsyannikova, who protested against the Ukraine conflict during a live broadcast in 2022.
Barabash revealed that she removed her electronic bracelet when she left house arrest.
"It's now lost in the Russian wilderness," she said.
Barabash concealed herself for two weeks during her escape and crossed the border on her birthday, April 26.
RSF director Thibaut Bruttin admired Barabash's persistence.
"On several occasions, we thought she had been apprehended or was facing imminent arrest. On several occasions, our plans changed. Once, we even believed she was deceased," Bruttin stated.
Bruttin added that assisting journalists in escaping Russia had become more challenging following the media watchdog's successful smuggling of Ovsyannikova.
Barabash's escape is viewed by RSF as a "symbol of hope" for Russian journalists.
"There exist forces willing to aid you in difficult situations," Bruttin said.
"There is no inevitable despair, and RSF supports all those who embody independent journalism," he reiterated.
Both RSF and Barabash declined to disclose the specifics of her escape.
Bruttin revealed that Barabash's presence in France is under observation by French authorities using a protocol that guarantees her safety.
"I will be requesting political asylum," Barabash stated, expressing her desire to continue working for our website.
A vocal opponent of Russia's military offensive against Ukraine, Barabash had expressed her views on Facebook in 2022, stating that Russia had "bombarded the nation" and "reduced entire cities to rubble."
Barabash's arrest occurred just days before her Facebook post expressing her "hatred, hatred, hatred for those who instigated this rampage."
Barabash expressed optimism on Monday, despite having to build a new life in a foreign land from scratch.
"I don't know a single individual who has perished from hunger in exile," she said.
(with AFP)
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- Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russia has intensified its restrictions on media freedom, making it illegal to criticize the military's offensive against Ukraine.
- Journalist and film critic Ekaterina Barabash was one of the victims of this crackdown, being arrested in February on charges of spreading misinformation about the Russian armed forces through social media posts.
- France played a significant role in Barabash's rescue, with Reporters Without Borders (RSF) aiding her escape.
- Barabash, now in France, is considering requesting political asylum and desires to continue working for an international news website.5.leveland, an ally of self-exiled Kremlin critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky, reportedly footed the bill for Barabash's evacuation.
- The arrest of Barabash, a vocal opponent of Russia's military offensive against Ukraine, has been viewed by RSF as a "symbol of hope" for Russian journalists facing similar persecution.
