Russia: Exiled Journalist Marfa Smirnova and Family Threatened

The journalist was sent a wiretap recording of her family's Moscow apartment and a photograph of her family members in a car following months of online harassment.

Location: Russia, Moscow
Date: July 24, 2023

Exiled Russian journalist Marfa Smirnova is threatened by an unknown messenger who sent her audio recordings from inside her family’s home in Moscow. The threats against Smirnova aim to intimidate the journalist by threatening her family in Russia. It is unclear yet who is behind Smirnova’s harassment. The Coalition For Women In Journalism urges Russian authorities to investigate the incident and identify those harassing Smirnova and her family. We further call on the Georgian government to protect the journalist while she resides there.

An anonymous account sent a wiretap recording of Marfa Smirnov’s family's Moscow apartment to exiled The Insider journalist. The recording was accompanied by a photograph of her family members in a car.

“They send me photos of family members, their travel routes, information about them that has never been and can never be made public,” Smirnova wrote on Facebook.

Smirnova has been extensively harassed online prior to the wiretap recording. She began receiving the threats during her recent trip to Ukraine. 

One unsettling Telegram screenshot Smirnova shared shows an unknown person issuing a direct threat: "Keep writing about things you shouldn't. And you'll end up meeting me."

Smirnova believes potential sources of these messages could be Russian intelligence services, the Wagner Group, or a stalker who closely monitors her live shows. 

"Of all these options, the third one would probably be the most positive outcome," Smirnova remarked.

While Smirnova's relatives do not plan to leave Russia permanently, they are considering temporarily relocating due to the escalating threats.

Currently residing in Georgia, the journalist says she does not feel under surveillance. However, she did receive a message stating that someone had "seen her today," further adding to the climate of concern and unease surrounding her and her family’s safety.

Smirnova was on holiday in Georgia when the Russian invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022 and opted not to return to Russia. Prior to joining The Insider, Smirnova was a host at TV Rain until the channel was forced to stop operations in March 2022. Since then, she has been hosting a news show on The Insider Live YouTube channel.

Targeting of Journalists’ Family

Journalists who report on repressive regimes from abroad often face serious threats and harassment against their families back home. These authoritarian governments use various tactics to intimidate and control these journalists, including sending intimidating messages, summoning their relatives for questioning, and imposing financial consequences.

The Russian government has a history of targeting critical journalists outside the country by going after their family members who still reside in Russia. During Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the Russian army used these tactics to intimidate or control journalists reporting in the occupied territories. In March 2022, Russian officers raided the house of journalist Svitlana Zalizetska's parents, taking her father into custody. They demanded that she renounce her work as a journalist in exchange for his release.

The psychological toll on journalists facing these threats is significant. They are put in an incredibly difficult position, forced to decide whether to continue their essential work despite the risks or remain silent to protect their loved ones.

The Coalition For Women In Journalism condemns the threats against Smirnova and harassment of her relatives inside Russia. We have documented a global increase in transnational repression — targeting journalists in exile; and secondary targeting — attacking relatives and friends of journalists.  Smirnova is the latest victim of these organized tactics to silence journalists. We commend her for speaking publicly about her experience and demand that the threats against her and her family immediately stop.

If you have been harassed or abused in any way, and please report the incident by using the following form.