Russia sentences Meduza contributor Asya Zolnikova in absentia to two and a half years in prison for involvement with an ‘undesirable’ organization

A Russian court has handed down a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence to Meduza contributor Asya Zolnikova while she remains at large. The charges stem from her alleged involvement with an organization labeled as “undesirable” by Russian authorities. This case is linked to Zolnikova's journalistic work for Meduza. In 2024, she faced a fine for a similar offense related to an article she penned for Meduza, which detailed the impact of recent wars on urban landscapes.

Her defense attorney has confirmed that Zolnikova's previous article sparked this ongoing legal issue; however, the prosecutor's office has not disclosed the exact content of the two additional articles that have surfaced on Meduza's website. In June, law enforcement conducted a search of Zolnikova's mother's residence. Meduza maintains transparency regarding its use of artificial intelligence in the newsroom, emphasizing that the story in question was crafted by a human journalist and translated from Russian by an AI system adhering to the outlet's editorial guidelines.

The English version undergoes a review process by a Meduza editor before it is published online. Should readers detect any inaccuracies in the translation, they are encouraged to reach out to reports@meduza.io. Meduza offers exclusive English-language content to subscribers, who can sign up for the outlet's newsletter.