On Monday, the newspaper "Novaya Gazeta" reported that its editor-in-chief, Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov, a Nobel Prize laureate, will file a legal challenge to overturn the Russian authorities' designation of him as a "foreign agent." The newspaper, known for its investigations that have sometimes targeted the Kremlin and government policies, stated that Muratov will temporarily step down from his position as editor to pursue this challenge through the courts.
In its statement, Novaya Gazeta said, "Muratov completely disagrees with the Justice Ministry's decision and is filing a lawsuit." It added, "At his request, the editorial board has suspended Dmitry Muratov from his role as editor during the legal proceedings. Sergey Sokolov has been appointed as acting editor."
The newspaper indicated that authorities have targeted Muratov due to his views and beliefs, which it claimed contradict constitutional guarantees related to freedom of thought and expression. The Russian Ministry of Justice added Muratov—an experienced journalist and Nobel Peace Prize winner in 2021—to an increasing list of individuals officially classified as "foreign agents," a label used to stigmatize and complicate the lives of those considered to act against the interests of the Russian state.
The ministry stated that Muratov, who sold his Nobel Prize medal at auction to help Ukrainian refugee children, "prepared and published materials produced by foreign agents and used them to spread negative views about Russia's foreign and domestic policies on international platforms." Journalists classified as "foreign agents" are required to declare their status in every work and are subject to increased official scrutiny and financial controls. Funders and sponsors based in Russia have withdrawn their support for media outlets labeled with this classification.
Novaya Gazeta suspended its publication in 2022 in response to legislation that imposes severe penalties for criticizing the actions of the Russian military in Ukraine. Since then, several of its journalists have regrouped in a new publication in Latvia.
