New lands, new dangers, and the price of safety

E. Barış Altıntaş, Journalist

After the decision to leave, all of the journalists faced significant challenges. Most of them had to act quickly, leaving overnight, with authorities showing that they mean business with the new military censorship legislation, and even intelligence officers and law enforcement — sometimes through legal threats and intimidation, other times through more “unofficial” methods, signaling to journalists that now is a good time to leave. The decision was quick for those who left Russia shortly after the Duma law criminalizing using the word war for Russia’s war in Ukraine, but it also had to be quite rushed. There was talk of the possibility of border closures – prices on flights to countries that weren’t part of the sanctions or demand visas were exponentially increasing. Knowing that bank cards weren’t going to work outside the country due to sanctions, many had to just take a backpack and leave.

Mark Nebesyny, editor-in-chief and founder of Svobodnoye Media, a regional publication founded in 2017 and became quite popular over a short time with their unbiased reporting on civil society, showcasing local initiatives and covering problems of Krasnodar Kray. Everything was going well until, of course, February 24, 2022.

They knew right away that it would be impossible to stay in Russia and left the country after a few days. A few days after their departure, their website was blocked by the federal watchdog Roskomnadzor — responsible for overseeing electronic media, mass communications, information technology, and telecommunications —  as was the case for many regional outlets.

During their flight, things went smoothly, for the most part. They made it to Armenia and then Georgia, where they were able to secure German visas. His is a happy story, “Hear, I live without any problem of visa, documents, or integration. We are continuing our work. We circumvent access bans with the help of mirror websites and publish on social media.”

All of this has led to their readership dwindling. “Apart from that, it is way more difficult to ‘feel’ the region from abroad, interact with active people, and understand what is going on.” However, Nebesny says: “This is the price for the safety, which we certainly have found to be unlike our colleagues in Russia.”

Visa problems are a safety issue for exiled journalists

But Nebesny’s case is a rarity. Outside him, all of our journalists faced significant challenges in adapting to new environments abroad.

Firstly, not everyone has made it to Europe, where the threat of extradition practically doesn’t exist. Indeed, visa and residence issues for exiled journalists are not just bureaucratic hurdles or red tape; they present, first and foremost, a safety issue.

Valery Nechai, former editor-in-chief of Ekho Moskvy in Saint Petersburg, is rather straightforward about the legal and bureaucratic hurdles he faced related to his migration status after relocating. Does he feel safe? His response is a solid “No”.

“I am not sure that I can continue to maintain my migration status. And in case of persecution in the home country, extradition there from the current host country is possible.” He currently lives in a country where he resides on a student visa. Still, it isn’t easy to obtain permanent resident status in that country due to its visa regulations.

In the summer of 2023, we had the opportunity to spend some time together when Valery had a full-day layover before his next flight to his host country. It was really stressful even for me to hear that he might not be allowed in at the border upon his return, a risk that he says exists every time.

In addition to visa issues, expiring passports are a major problem, he adds.

Indeed, experts note that the situation regarding visas for political refugees from Russia is getting a bit more difficult. According to data from InTransit, a Berin based organization that helps political refugees from Russia, three times fewer German humanitarian visas were issued in 2023 compared to 2022 despite a similar number of applicants. The situation is expected to worsen unless there is a decisive political decision in Germany to address this issue.

In light of this, people waiting for visas in transit countries are in desperate need of support. Many of them have exhausted their financial resources and are unable to return to Russia, where they face criminal charges. Some have managed to find work, but others have not been as fortunate. InTransit calls for the establishment of more support programs such as mini-grants and assistance with housing and food, specifically for human rights defenders, journalists, activists, and LGBTQ activists from Russia.

Visa problems also impede journalism in exile.

Sofia Kropotkina, who shared her story of leaving Russia and relocating to Lithuania in the previous chapter, says she met a series of challenges that significantly impacted her ability to continue her journalistic work with the same consistency as before. But of course, the visa renewal process was among the top factors hindering her. She explains:

“The journalist visa in Lithuania is valid for only a year, and the renewal process takes about 4-5 months. This creates a situation where, for almost half a year, I live in uncertainty, not knowing whether I’ll be allowed to stay in the country.”

This prolonged and uncertain process poses a significant obstacle to work continuity and planning.

“In addition, Lithuania canceled the so-called waiting visas (national visa type D), which used to allow those waiting for a decision on a residence permit to stay in the country legally,” Kropotkinskaya explains a development which adds to the precarious situation of the exiled journalists.

The price of safety: reduced resources and dwindling audiences

Sofia further explains: “The move was a challenge also professionally. The editorial staff and the newsroom also had difficulties in dealing with tax legislation.”

From complicated financial realities to not being on the ground, journalists often find it hard to maintain audiences.

Pichugin, who is in Georgia, said they had to deal with the suspension of their Russian-language radio program in Georgia due to financial constraints: “Our Russian-language radio program in Georgia, ‘Tbilisi Panorama,’ had to be paused because of financial reasons, highlighting the challenges we face in maintaining our media work abroad.”

Similarly, journalist Mark Nebesny of “Svobodnye Media,” shared difficulties he faced in maintaining an audience and staying connected to the region while operating from abroad: “One of the major challenges has been keeping our audience engaged and ‘feeling’ the region from afar. It’s much more difficult to understand what’s happening on the ground and communicate that effectively when you’re not there.”

For regional media outlets like Svobodnye Media, ensuring that content remains relevant to their local audience is even more challenging. Nebesny says: “Adapting to a new environment and continuing to provide pertinent content for our audience back in Krasnodar has been a significant challenge. It requires constant adjustment and innovation.”

Staying connected with Turkey also proved challenging for Baransel Ağca, who had to leave Turkey because of his legal troubles. He says he struggles with the shift from being a journalist in Turkey to his current situation, saying, “I cannot do journalism properly here. I try to do it as much as I can, but I wouldn’t survive here either.”

“Since I don’t have a financial income, I am currently working as a cleaner. And I am happy with that.”

The financial toll of having to leave

In Germany, where journalists already struggled with visa safety, the high cost of living was a problem.

Among those who made it to Berlin was Andrey Shashkov, who faced significant challenges upon his relocation to the city. He had tremendous difficulty finding affordable housing and navigating bureaucratic hurdles, “The hardest part in Berlin was finding an apartment that a journalist could afford. It’s a daunting task in this city,” he says.

Shashkov had to deal with complex bureaucratic processes, including securing a work permit and arranging for health insurance. He explains, “Even after one and a half years, I’m still caught up in some bureaucratic intricacies related to taxes and health insurance.”

Another new Berliner, Yury Davidov, who shared his experiences of leaving Moscow as a Dozhd cameraman in the previous section, seconds the thought. He says, “Expensive health insurance for people over 45 years of age, time-consuming bureaucratic issues, and the overall financial condition” are the top three hardest challenges for an exiled journalist in Berlin.

Shashkov’s journey was further complicated by an unexpected job loss, which he attributes to being misled by the leadership of a Berlin-based project. This sudden change forced him to seek new employment and reapply for his residence permit, adding to the stress and uncertainty of his situation.

Reflecting on this experience, he says, “It was a setback when the leaders of the ‘reborn’ Echo project in Berlin withdrew their job offer, leaving me to scramble for new employment and start the residence permit process all over again.”

For journalists with dependents, like Alexander Pichugin, who is in Georgia, one of the key challenges he faced was sustaining his dependents financially. Pichugin shares, “The main problem in the new country is financial. I still don’t earn enough to support my family, so I am gradually spending the money I got from selling my assets in Russia.”

This article is a part of the publication titled “In the Shadow of Two Palaces“