Russian court denies appeal of LA woman accused of treason

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A court in Siberia has denied 33-year-old Ksenia Karelina's appeal and she will remain in prison. The court extended her pre-trial detention until at least April 6.

Karelina, who has dual Russian and American citizenship and lives in Los Angeles, is accused of treason after allegedly donating about $50 to Ukraine's war effort.

She's alleged to have organized fundraisers for Ukraine's military, attended pro-Ukraine rallies, and posted messages against Russia's war in Ukraine, according to Russian state media.

U.S. officials say diplomats at the embassy in Moscow are trying to get access to Karelina, but so far, Russia has not allowed it since it refuses to recognize almost all dual citizenship.

Ksenia Karelina was arrested on January 27 in the city of Yekaterinburg in central Russia while visiting family in Russia.

"We can get Ksenia out. I just want to make sure that she has a fighting chance. And I'm pleading -- I'm not a begging man, I'm not a begging man, but I'm begging, I'm begging for people to listen. She's a lovely human being, she's a normal person. I'm begging for help, begging for this woman to be free," said Karelina's boyfriend, Chris Van Heerden.

She was not in the courtroom Thursday but was connected through a video link from the pre-trial detention center.

If convicted, Karelina faces 20 years behind bars.