Regina Revazova | A Former Russian Journalist on Life Under Putin

Former Russian journalist, Regina Revazova, speaks to life under Putin’s administration as a member of the nation’s press. Also the producer of Keeping It Civil, and an audio professor of the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Regina discussed her early life and career in Russia before seeking political asylum in the United States.

Originally from Northern Siberia, Revazova was exposed to journalism in the ninth grade, and later pursued the career in university in the Caucuses area. In the early 2000’s, Revazova said journalists had a “gulp of freedom,” which was a treat compared to journalists under the current regime.

The tides turned against journalism subtly.

“When things became tighter and tighter, it wasn’t that obvious until twenty-two years later when we look back now,” Revazova said. “It became very, very clear that as soon as Putin got to power, in a country that was kind of newly formed, there were no procedures and there were no checks and balances that we have in this country, he quickly zoomed into three major forces within Russia that he considered to be a main threat to his unequivocal power, which number one, was media.”

Revazova was an active reporter from early 2000 to 2007, and was granted political asylum in the U.S. in 2008. Her ex-husband caught the eye of the Kremlin as an editor for a British-based news organization in Russia, and given the choice to be investigated and possibly imprisoned, or leave the country, Revazova said the two of them were lucky they were able to take the latter option.

Listen to more of the discussion on this episode’s podcast, where Revazova goes more in-depth into the life of a journalist under an oppressive regime.