Russian investigative newspaper, Novaya Gazeta, has ceased operations following mounting pressure from government authorities, raising fresh concerns over press freedom and the future of independent journalism in the country.
The newspaper announced its closure on Monday, November 9, after holding what it described as its final editorial meeting and shutting down its newsroom in Moscow.
The development follows months of increasing pressure on the publication, which was designated a “foreign agent” by Russian authorities in September. The classification reportedly affected its financial operations, as banks stopped processing donations from readers, a major source of funding for the newspaper.
Novaya Gazeta was among the few remaining independent media organisations openly critical of the Kremlin and Russia’s war against Ukraine.
The newspaper had also faced security and legal challenges, including the questioning of its Editor-in-Chief, Sergei Sokolov, in October, and the arrest of another editor, Oleg Roldugin, in April.
Speaking at the closure of the newspaper’s Moscow office, co-founder Dmitry Muratov criticised the restrictions on freedom of expression and access to independent information in Russia.
Meanwhile, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, described the closure as another devastating blow to the remaining independent media in the country.
Despite the growing restrictions on press freedom, Novaya Gazeta continued its reporting following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The newspaper was co-founded by former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, with funding from his 1990 Nobel Peace Prize.
Its closure marks another significant setback for independent journalism in Russia, where media organisations and journalists critical of government policies have faced increasing restrictions, intimidation and persecution.
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