Joint statement on the closure of Novaya Gazeta in Russia
The UK and Finland, as Co-Chairs of the Media Freedom Coalition, call on Russia to end its repression of independent media following the closure of Novaya Gazeta.
Today, after more than 30 years, the prominent independent Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta has ceased its operations inside the country. Its closure is a stark reminder of the sustained pressure facing independent journalism in Russia.
For decades, Novaya Gazeta and its journalists have reported on corruption, repression and human rights abuses, often at great personal risk. We remember those reporters whose work has cost them their lives, including Anna Politkovskaya.
The Russian authorities continue to use repressive legislation to crack down on media freedom. Independent journalists face serious personal risks in carrying out their work, including arrest, detention, harassment and political imprisonment.
As Co-Chairs of the Media Freedom Coalition, Finland and the UK stand in solidarity with independent journalists and media workers in Russia and in exile who continue their work despite these pressures. We call for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners, including all the unlawfully imprisoned journalists.
Independent media plays a vital role in ensuring people have access to reliable information and in holding those in power to account. We call on the Russian authorities to allow journalists and media workers to work freely and safely, end the repression of independent media and journalists, and uphold their international human rights obligations.