United States Agency for Global Media

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rferl.org

Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) is a private, nonprofit, multimedia broadcasting corporation that serves as a surrogate media source in 27 languages and in 23 countries, including Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, Russia, and Ukraine.

With headquarters in Prague, 17 local bureaus (including Moscow, Kabul, Kyiv, and Islamabad), and more than 1,000 journalists throughout its broadcast region, RFE/RL’s proximity to its audiences facilitates the production of compelling, locally-oriented programming in a cost-effective manner.

Reaching more than 42.1 million people each week, RFE/RL provides what many people cannot get locally: uncensored local and regional news, responsible discussion, and open debate via radio, television, and digital media. In addition to traditional radio reporting, RFE/RL is modernizing to compete successfully in the rapidly-changing media realm. RFE/RL has expanded its TV and video operations, live-streamed political protests and other newsworthy events, and broadened its best-in-class digital journalism operations to ensure that RFE/RL reporting is accessible to audiences across platforms.

Recent Press Releases

American RFE/RL reporter Alsu Kurmasheva released from Russian custody

After more than nine months in prison, American RFE/RL journalist Alsu Kurmasheva has been released as part of a large-scale prisoner exchange between the United States and Russia. The deal included Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who was detained by the Kremlin for 16 months.

American RFE/RL reporter Alsu Kurmasheva tried & convicted in Russian Court

According to the Associated Press (AP), American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) has been tried and convicted in secret in a Russian court on baseless charges that have grown progressively more serious since her imprisonment more than nine months ago. The report says she has been sentenced to six-and-a-half years in prison.

Russia extends American RFE/RL journalist’s detention for sixth time

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) is outraged at today’s ruling in Russia to extend RFE/RL journalist Alsu Kurmasheva’s pretrial detention for the sixth time. For eight months, Alsu has been detained unjustly in a Russian prison simply for being an American.

Recent Awards

Order of Merit Third Class

Project:

Winner: Maryan Kushnir and Serhiy Horbatenko

Presented by: Ukraine (Country)

PEN/Barbey Freedom To Write Award

Project:

Winner: Vladyslav Yesypenko

Presented by: PEN American Center

“For me, Radio Liberty—just as for millions of its listeners in the boundless stretches of [Russia]—was and is the real embodiment of its name, ‘Svoboda’ (freedom). It is freedom from lies, it is the freedom to receive and distribute information as it is formulated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. During the quiet days of our lives, one can think that ‘Svoboda’ is one radio station among many. But, oh, such days are few! And in all the others—those showery and stormy days and times of fog and blood—you understand that ‘Svoboda’ will still be needed by Russia on its long path to Freedom!”

Elena Bonner, Russian human rights activist

2000