Russian Reporter Prokopyeva Wins Press Freedom Award - Committee To Protect Journalists

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 13th July, 2020) The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) presented Russian reporter Svetlana Prokopyeva with an international award for press freedom, the organization said on Monday.

"CPJ is honored to present its 2020 International Press Freedom Award to Russian journalist Svetlana Prokopyeva," the statement said.

Prokopyeva is a correspondent for US government-funded broadcaster Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty in Russia, known as Radio Svoboda, the release said.

Earlier in July, a Pskov court fined Prokopyeva 500,000 rubles ($6,950) for comments made in public that were found to be "justifying terrorism" in the wake of the 2018 bombing of the Arkhangelsk Federal Security Service building.

In November 2018, Prokopyeva spoke about the bombing incident during an appearance on the Pskov affiliate of the Ekho Moskvy radio station. The full text of the broadcast was later published by a local news outlet. The broadcast and subsequent publication were later deleted at the request of Russia's media watchdog, Roskomnadzor, and both outlets were fined 350,000 rubles ($4,868).

The journalist denied guilt and said that the publication aimed to establish the events behind the bombing.

Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the verdict of Prokopieva does not mean a ban on journalists investigating terrorism cases, it is about compliance with laws related to the fight against terrorism.

In October 2018, a 17-year-old detonated an explosive device inside a Federal Security Service building in the city of Arkhangelsk. The perpetrator died, and three officers suffered injuries as a result of the blast.