Russia09 April, 20261 min read
Russian Security Forces Raid Novaya Gazeta, Detain Journalist Oleg Roldugin
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Masked security forces raided Novaya Gazeta's Moscow editorial office. Oleg Roldugin was detained during the raid.
Novaya Gazeta Raid
Masked Russian security forces raided Novaya Gazeta's editorial offices in Moscow on April 9. The newspaper reported that we do not know the reason for the raid and lawyers were denied access. Police confirmed the search was part of a criminal probe into the illegal use of personal data.
Novaya Gazeta ceased print publication shortly after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The outlet was founded in 1993 and was considered one of Russia's leading independent media.
Memorial Banned
Russia's Supreme Court ruled to designate Memorial as an extremist organization. Memorial said the ruling would allow authorities to crack down on any Memorial projects. The group was awarded the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize.
Amnesty International condemned the ruling as criminalizing human rights work. Memorial was founded in the late 1980s and had been declared a foreign agent. An extremist designation carries criminal penalties for involvement.
Censorship and Repression
The raid on Novaya Gazeta and the banning of Memorial came amid an intensifying crackdown on independent media. Dmitry Muratov was designated a foreign agent in 2023.
Many journalists fled into exile, launching sister publications like Novaya Gazeta Europe. The Moscow Times reported that its own operations were criminalized as an undesirable organization.