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Press FreedomRussian Federation

Russia revokes independent Novaya Gazeta's website license

September 15, 2022

Russia's most prominent independent newspaper was accused of violating the country's "foreign agents" law. The paper ceased printing in March following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, now it is no longer available online.

https://p.dw.com/p/4GwXP
A hand holding an issue of the Novaya Gazeta newspaper
The Novaya Gazeta stopped print publication in March over Kremlin restrictions on covering the conflict Image: Dmitry Feoktistov/TASs/dpa/picture alliance

The Supreme Court in Russia on Thursday revoked independent news outlet Novaya Gazeta's online broadcast license, meaning that it is no longer available in Russia.

Russia's media watchdog Roskomnadzor said the paper had violated the country's controversial "foreign agents" law, which observers say the Kremlin is using to silence critics.

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Publication's editor slams decision

Novaya Gazeta editor-in-chief, Nobel laureate Dmitry Muratov, accused authorities of seeking to destroy the 30-year-old outfit. Muratov exclaimed: "What you are doing is murder. You are depriving hundreds of people of jobs, and readers — there were 27 million in March — of the right to information."

"The Supreme Court of the Russian Federation has ordered a halt to activities of the Novaya Gazeta website," said the outlet Thursday, noting, "We have the right to appeal the decision, we will certainly use it."

One of the last and certainly most prominent of Russia's independent media, Novaya Gazeta — which was started in 1993 using money from the Nobel peace prize awarded to former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev — halted operations in Russia in March. The paper ceased printing after warnings about violating draconian rules on how outlets are allowed to cover the war in Ukraine. 

Most of Novaya Gazeta's reporters and editors have since fled the country.

Thursday's court ruling follows another earlier this month revoking the paper's right to publish in print.

Independent media being silenced

The blocking of Novaya Gazeta signals the silencing of all the country's main independent media outlets, including Echo of Moscow radio and Dozhd TV, which have been shut down or have suspended operations in Russia.

The organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF) ranked Russia 155 of 180 countries in its 2022 Press Freedom Index, writing, "Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, almost all independent media have been banned, blocked and/or declared "foreign agents." All others are subject to military censorship.

js/kb (AFP, Reuters)