The Russian newspaper “Novaya Gazeta” suspends its activity after a second warning

The Russian Newspaper “Novaya Gazette”whose director, Dmitry Muratovwas one of the winners of the Nobel Peace Prize last yearindicated on Monday that suspended its online and paper activities until the end of the “special operation” of Russia in Ukraine.

The investigative newspaper, which has already removed material from its website about Russia’s military action in Ukraine to comply with a new media law, said it had received another warning from state communications regulator Roskomnadzor on Monday about its reporting. , which led him to pause operations.

“We are suspending the publication of the newspaper on our website, on social networks and in the written press until the end of the ‘special operation on the territory of Ukraine’”the newspaper wrote on its website.

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In another message to readers, Muratov and his reporters claimed that the decision to suspend their activities had been difficult but necessary.

“There is no other option,” the note read. “For us, and I know for you, it’s a horrible and difficult decision.”

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Roskomnadzor did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In comments published by Russian news agencies, the regulator said he had issued a second warning to “Novaya Gazeta” for failing to adequately identify in its publications an organization considered a “foreign agent” by the authorities.

The pressure against the Russian liberal media has increased since Moscow Shipping troops to Ukraine last month, and most of the mainstream media and state-controlled organizations stick to the language used by the Kremlin to describe the conflict.

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The announcement of “Novaya Gazeta” follows the closure this month of the Ekho Moskvy radio station, which was one of the few remaining liberal voices in the Russian media. LAuthorities have also blocked the websites of several media outlets, including the BBC, Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

On Monday, the Ministry of Justice added the Deutsche Welle to the list of media outlets it has labeled as foreign agents.

The readers of Novaya Gazeta” and anti-Kremlin activists lamented that the newspaper could not continue to operate in the current Russian media environment.

“I would very much like Roskomnadzor to interrupt their work,” the imprisoned political activist’s team wrote on Twitter. Andrey Pivovarov.

Created after the disintegration of the Soviet Union, “Novaya Gazeta” and its reporters have for years been subjected to intimidation and attacks for their investigations into rights violations and corruption.

Muratov declared, on being named co-winner of the Nobel Prize last October, that he dedicated it to the memory of six journalists from his newspaper killed for their work.