The editor-in-chief of the renowned Russian independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta was detained in Moscow on Thursday and later fined after being accused of discrediting Russia’s armed forces. Sergei Sokolov was detained by officers from Russia’s Center for Combating Extremism (Center E) and fined 30,000 rubles ($329) in a hearing at a Moscow court. The charges are related to material posted on the outlet's Telegram channel, which was found to contain linguistic and psychological signs of verbally discrediting the actions of power structures.
The media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) protested against the arrest, highlighting the ongoing censorship in Russia. Sokolov took over as editor-in-chief in September 2023 after his predecessor, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Dmitry Muratov, was labeled a “foreign agent” by Russian authorities. In September 2022, Novaya Gazeta had its license revoked as part of the government's crackdown on dissent.
Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, legislation was passed outlawing disparagement of the Russian military and the spread of false information about the invasion. This led to the banning of numerous independent media outlets and the suspension of reporting related to Ukraine by others. Novaya Gazeta announced a temporary halt to its operations during the war in Ukraine but continued its critical coverage through Novaya Gazeta Europe, a project launched by staff members who relocated abroad.
