Russia revoked the last license of the independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta

MOSCOW, Sep 15 (Reuters) – Novaya Gazeta, one of Russia’s few remaining independent news outlets, was stripped of its last media license on Thursday.

In fact, the Russian Supreme Court banned the online version of Novaya Gazeta days after the Moscow District Court banned Novaya Gazeta and its sister magazine, Net (No), founded less than three months ago. read more

The media watchdog Roskomnadzor accused Novaya Gazeta’s web version of repeatedly violating restrictions placed on “foreign agents,” a name applied to the newspaper that has also been applied to numerous other voices and entities that disagree with the Kremlin.

Editor-in-chief Dmitry Muratov, a Nobel Peace Prize winner for his efforts to support critical news, expressed anger at the decision in court.

“Do you understand that your demand will destroy Novaya Gazeta, a newspaper with 30 years of history?” he said, turning to Roskomnadzor. “Apparently you do.”

“What you are doing is murder. You are depriving hundreds of people of work, readers – in March there were 27 million – the right to information.

Speaking outside the court later, Muratov said he would appeal to the Appeals Chamber of the Supreme Court.

The newspaper, which has dominated the Russian media scene since its founding in 1993 with funds from the late Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev’s Nobel Peace Prize, has carved a niche as Russia’s leading investigative news agency, even as press freedom has been curtailed.

In March, he suspended his activities in Russia after he received a warning for violating new laws that severely censor coverage of the conflict in Ukraine.

Outside of court, Muratov called the verdict “information genocide” and said it would make investigative journalism much more difficult, since journalists would no longer be able to make inquiries with the authorities.

Some of the paper’s employees have created an online edition in Europe, the publications of which are also blocked in Russia.

Muratov, who sold his Nobel medal to help Ukrainian refugees, led the funeral procession for Gorbachev, his financial backer and friend, on September 3. read more

Edited by Kevin Liffey and Susan Fenton.

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