Yakutsk journalist sentenced to three years in prison on charges of justifying terrorism

On 28 November, the Khabarovsk District Military Court sentenced journalist Alexandra Alexandrova from Sakha (Yakutia) to three years in a general regime penal colony under the article on the justification of terrorism (Part 2 of Article 205.2 of the Russian Criminal Code). This was reported by Sakhaday.

Alexandrova returned to Russia after emigrating and soon faced criminal prosecution. News of her detention emerged in March 2025, when the journalist was sent to a pre-trial detention centre in Yakutsk, a major city in eastern Siberia. The authorities have not disclosed the specific publications that prompted the case.

Until 2022, Alexandrova worked for Yakutian media outlets Ykt.ru and SakhaDay, ran a Telegram channel, and launched her own media project, ZIMA.

• After the start of the war in Ukraine, Alexandrova’s colleagues at SakhaDay faced prosecution under articles relating to collaboration with “undesirable” organisations and violations of the rules for holding rallies, due to their coverage of a protest against migrants. Alexandrova left Russia after the full-scale invasion, but decided to return in 2024.