22:35, 15 May 2026

A Kuban journalist was sentenced in absentia to forced labor.

An Ust-Labinsk court sentenced journalist Alexander Savelyev* in absentia to forced labor, finding him guilty of failing to fulfill his duties as a foreign agent.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot," Kuban journalist and publisher of the "Protocol" media project, Alexander Savelyev*, was accused of failing to fulfill his duties as a foreign agent and arrested in absentia in the Russian Federation; he lives abroad. In early May, his case was submitted to the Ust-Labinsk court.

Journalist Alexander Savelyev* was included in the Ministry of Justice's register of foreign agents in September 2024. At the end of 2025, Savelyev*'s details appeared in the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs' wanted list database. Previously, a case was opened against Savelyev* for collaborating with an "undesirable organization." His prosecution is intended to intimidate Kuban media, the journalists' union stated in August 2019. The case was dismissed, but in 2021, the court ruled to reopen it. The journalist was defended in this case by Krasnodar lawyer Alexei Avanesyan, who died in November.

The Magistrate's Court in Ust-Labinsk sentenced Alexander Savelyev* to eighteen months of forced labor. The decision was rendered on May 14.

The case against Savelyev* for violating "foreign agent" restrictions "is based on testimony from Roskomnadzor employees and materials provided by them," Protocol reported today.

The court heard testimony from a Roskomnadzor employee and Savelyev*'s parents, after which it sentenced the journalist as requested by the prosecutor. The maximum penalty for evading the duties of a foreign agent (Part 2 of Article 330.1 of the Russian Criminal Code) is two years' imprisonment or forced labor.

"Savelyev plans to appeal the verdict," the publication notes.

News about the persecution of activists, human rights defenders, and journalists in southern Russia and the South Caucasus are published by the "Caucasian Knot" on the "Persecution of Activists" page."Persecution of Activists".

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* are listed as foreign agents.

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Translated automatically via Google translate from https://www.kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/423272