Maria Aleksashina

Affiliated media: News agency Svobodnye Novosti , Editor-in-chief

Incident date: February 19, 2023

Attack type:

• Bullying, intimidation, pressure, threats of violence and death, including cyber-

Who attacked: Unknown sources

Source: Svobodnye Novosti

Location: Russia, Saratov Oblast, Saratov

Additional information:

On February 19, the editor-in-chief of the news agency Svobodnye Novosti Maria Aleksashina received threats of physical violence through one of the messengers. The author of the messages also sent the employee of the media outlet her personal data, including her residential address, passport details, and pension insurance number — obviously to confirm his knowledge and intimidate her. The attacker did not make any demands. Maria Aleksashina filed a complaint about the crime with the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Saratov. She emphasised that she perceived the threats as real and connected them with her professional activities. On March 13, 2023, it became known that the Saratov police refused to investigate the death threat.