Novaya Gazeta Shuts Down Amid Increasing Pressures in Russia

In a significant development for Russian media, Novaya Gazeta, the country’s prominent investigative newspaper, announced its closure on November 9 after operating for more than 30 years. The newspaper declared its cessation in a farewell letter on Friday, citing intensified pressure from Russian authorities and security services. They stated, “They’ve killed us. The Russian authorities and the Russian security services have forced our editorial team to cease its operations.”

Established in 1993 by journalists inspired by the newfound freedoms after the Soviet Union’s collapse, Novaya Gazeta earned a reputation for investigative journalism and state criticism. Despite the ongoing war in Ukraine, it remained one of the last independent newspapers in Russia, enduring severe pressure.

Earlier this month, the newspaper was notified of an eviction from its office and impending blocks on its financial accounts. These actions followed the “foreign agent” label imposed by Russian authorities on outlets not under their control. Sergei Sokolov, the paper’s editor-in-chief, faced detention and questioning. Dmitry Muratov, a co-founder and publisher of the paper, shared the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize. He dedicated the award to six journalists he claimed were killed for their work, including Anna Politkovskaya. Politkovskaya was assassinated in 2006 outside her apartment after years of reporting on rights abuses and the Chechen conflict.