Berlin, August 12, 2026—The Committee to Protect Journalists urges Russian authorities to swiftly clarify the circumstances surrounding the prosecution of journalist Vasilisa Shishkina on
treason charges
and her subsequent
sentencing
in May to 12 years in prison amid reports that she was targeted because of her work.
Shishkina, an editor at the regional outlet Nomer Odin in Russia’s eastern Republic of Buryatia, was
sentenced
on May 21 by the Supreme Court of Buryatia, her lawyer Vasily Dubkov
said
in a video posted to his Telegram channel on August 6 after a court in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk
upheld
the sentence.
Shishkina’s trial was held behind closed doors, Dubkov said, without providing any further details beyond the sentence.
Journalist Vasilisa Shishkina, who has been jailed for 12 years. (Screenshot: People of Baikal/YouTube)
“The prosecution and sentencing of Russian journalist Vasilisa Shishkina has been shrouded in secrecy and authorities have given no details of the charges against her amid reports that she was targeted for her work,” said Carlos Martínez de la Serna, CPJ’s program director. “Russian authorities should immediately explain why Vasilisa Shishkina was prosecuted and sentenced and, more broadly, stop using politically motivated charges to silence the press.”
Evgeny Smirnov, a lawyer with the independent Russian human rights project Perviy Otdel, speaking to CPJ from exile, said the case stemmed from Shishkina “writing and publishing articles for a media outlet deemed ‘undesirable’ in Russia.” He did not reveal the name of the outlet and CPJ was unable to independently verify his remarks.
After Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Shishkina
reported
on alleged violations of the rights of mobilized men from Buryatia, according to independent
media
reports
.
She has been in custody in Novosibirsk since July 17, 2025, according to her lawyer. Her case remained largely out of the public
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