On 7 February 2024, Russian authorities placed Iryna Zemlyana, a media expert working for Ukraine’s Institute of Mass Information (IMI), a press freedom group, on Russia’s list of “terrorists and extremists”. The news was reported on by IMI, which quoted Zemlyana. Her inclusion on the list implies a freezing of her assets in Russia, as well as a ban on any financial transactions, however it was unclear whether these measures would have any practical consequences on the media expert, who lives and works in Ukraine.
“Of course, any actions of Russia should no longer cause surprise, but it was a surprise for me,” Zemlyana said. “After all, a criminal case against me was opened back in May 2022 [in Russia], and at the same time [Russia] turned to Interpol to have me searched. Almost two years have passed and someone [in Russia] thought that I am also a ‘terrorist and extremist'”.
Russia’s list of organizations and individuals accused of involvement in extremism or terrorism is managed by state agency Rosfinmonitoring. A person who is suspected, accused or convicted in criminal cases of extremist or terrorist nature can be added to the register.