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‘Novaya Gazeta fulfilled its mission to the very end: speaking truth to power, no matter the risk. That this bastion of free press was ultimately forced to shut down is a devastating blow to independent journalism in the Russian Federation – and beyond. PEN International stands with Novaya Gazeta’s fearless journalists, who will continue to embolden generations of writers across borders,’ said Burhan Sonmez, PEN International President.
09 November 2026 – PEN International deplores the closure of Novaya Gazeta, one of the Russian Federation’s most prominent independent media outlets, following decades of persecution by the Russian authorities. The organisation reiterates its call on the authorities to end their relentless crackdown on free speech.
In a statement titled They killed us, published on 30 October 2026, Novaya Gazeta announced that it would cease all operations on 9 November following what it described as a ‘coordinated’ campaign by the Russian authorities. The latest measures included an order to vacate its premises in Moscow and restrictions on its ability to receive donations.
Founded in 1993, Novaya Gazeta quickly established itself as a leading source of investigative reporting on high-level corruption and human rights violations. Its journalists and staff have faced repeated threats and attacks; six of them were killed between 2000 and 2009 in connection with their work. One of the last media outlets to openly condemn the Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Novaya Gazeta saw its licence to publish revoked and its website blocked within the Russian Federation by the end of 2022.
Novaya Gazeta has faced mounting pressure in recent months. In April 2026, security forces raided its office in Moscow. Columnist Oleg Roldugin was subsequently charged with ‘illegally accessing computer information’ and placed in pre-trial detention. He faces up to six years in prison if convicted. In September 2026, the authorities designated Novaya Gazeta a ‘foreign agent’, listing more than 100 people as ‘affiliated individuals’. On 15 October 2026, investigators searched the apartment of editor-in-chief Sergei Sokolov and questioned him before releasing him.
The closure of Novaya Gazeta was met with global dismay. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights notably paid tribute to the newspaper’s ‘exceptional contribution to independent reporting and the defence of human rights’. PEN International expresses its steadfast support for Novaya Gazeta and its journalists, and once again urges the Russian authorities to end their brutal and systematic clampdown on freedom of expression.
Additional information
Six Novaya Gazeta journalists and staff have been killed in connection with their reporting: Igor Domnikov, (2000), Yuri Shchekochikhin (2003), Anna Politkovskaya (2006), Stanislav Markelov (2009), Anastasia Baburova (2009) and Natalia Estemirova (2009). PEN International calls for all those responsible for the murders – including the masterminds – to be brought to account.
In 2021, Dmitry Muratov, then editor-in-chief of Novaya Gazeta, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize alongside journalist and writer Maria Ressa for their efforts to defend freedom of expression. Muratov was attacked by an unknown assailant in April 2022. The Russian authorities branded him a ‘foreign agent’ in 2023. He subsequently stepped down as editor-in-chief and was replaced by Sokolov.
In March 2022, following the Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, several Novaya Gazeta staff left the country and established Novaya Gazeta Europe in Latvia. The Russian authorities declared Novaya Gazeta Europe an ‘undesirable organisation’ in 2023, thereby criminalising its activities and any association with the outlet in the Russian Federation.
Note to editors:
For further details contact Aurélia Dondo, Head of Europe and Central Asia Region at PEN International: [email protected]
For media queries, please contact Sabrina Tucci, Head of Communications and Campaigns at PEN International: [email protected]