Russia has opened a criminal case against award-winning Russian American writer and journalist Masha Gessen. The Kremlin is accusing the New Yorker staff writer of spreading false information over their remarks about the massacre of Ukrainian civilians by Russian forces in the city of Bucha in March 2022. Gessen lived and worked in Russia for decades before returning to the U.S. in 2013, after the Kremlin began enforcing brutal anti-LGBTQ+ laws. The criminal charges in Russia will also limit Gessen’s travel to countries with extradition treaties with Moscow.

In related news, a Russian court has extended the pretrial detention of Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich for another two months. The ruling was made in a closed-door hearing earlier today. He’s been jailed since March on espionage charges and faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted.