Novaya Gazeta, Symbol of Independent Russian Journalism, Forced to Close

Russian independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta has announced it will shut down, with Editor-in-Chief Sergei Sokolov blaming pressure from Russian authorities, including the security services, following a search of his home and the arrest of one of the publication’s journalists.

“Novaya Gazeta is ceasing to exist,” Sokolov said in a video statement posted on YouTube on Friday. He accused the authorities of forcing the editorial team to stop working, saying: “The Russian authorities – the Russian special services – have forced the editorial team to end its work.”

Sokolov said the newspaper would close its premises and shut down its servers on November 9, ending operations at the home where its staff had worked for 30 years. “Novaya Gazeta has been killed … On November 9 we will turn off the lights in our home, where we have lived for 30 years. We will shut down the servers and leave,” he said.

Earlier this month, Sokolov was questioned and police searched his home as part of a criminal investigation involving his colleague Oleg Roldugin, who was arrested in April.

Roldugin was charged with "unlawful access to computerised information," although authorities have not provided further details of the allegations. He denied the charges, according to the state RIA news agency.

Novaya Gazeta reported that Roldugin was awaiting trial under house arrest, which had been extended until November 10.

Russia has tightened its campaign against independent media since launching its offensive in Ukraine in February 2022, introducing censorship measures described as approaching Soviet-era levels and driving most independent journalists into exile.

Novaya Gazeta reduced its operations inside Russia after the offensive began, and authorities revoked its media license later in 2022. The newspaper has also been designated a "foreign agent" by the Russian authorities, a classification used to suppress dissent.

The publication was long regarded as one of Russia's leading independent news outlets. Its former editor-in-chief, Dmitry Muratov, shared the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of his “efforts to safeguard freedom of expression” while leading the newspaper.