State prosecutors are seeking a five-year prison sentence for Galina Timchenko, the founder and publisher of the Latvia-based news outlet Meduza, on charges related to the outlet’s designation as an “undesirable” organization.
Criminal Charges Against Meduza Founder
Timchenko is accused of organizing the activities of an “undesirable” organization, a status assigned to Meduza by Russia’s General Prosecutor’s Office in 2023. Under Russian law, “undesirable” organizations are barred from operating in the country, with individuals affiliated facing up to four years in prison and organization leaders risking up to six years.
In June 2024, a Moscow court fined Timchenko 14,000 rubles ($177) for participating in the activities of an “undesirable” organization. She was subsequently charged with a more severe criminal offense and arrested in absentia this summer.
Timchenko previously served as editor-in-chief of the Lenta.ru news website until 2014, when she was dismissed by the outlet’s new owner, Kremlin-linked investor Alexander Mamut. Following her departure, she founded Meduza in Latvia.
Prosecutors allege, according to court records cited by Mediazona, that Timchenko founded Meduza out of “hatred and contempt” for Russia’s political system and its domestic and foreign policies. They also contend that she continued operating the outlet after it was designated “undesirable” to maintain its influence within Russia, including through a mobile application designed to circumvent domestic restrictions.
Timchenko’s lawyer has argued for her acquittal, asserting that the prosecution infringes upon her constitutional right to freedom of expression, as reported by Mediazona.
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