Russian Newspaper Novaya Gazeta Says It Will Close Nov. 9, Blaming Authorities
Photo: The GuardianRussian investigative newspaper Novaya Gazeta announced on Friday that it will shut down completely on Nov. 9 after more than 30 years, saying Russian authorities and intelligence services forced it to stop work. The editorial board's statement, titled "We were killed," said the newspaper is gone. Editor-in-chief Sergei Sokolov said in a YouTube video that staff will turn off the lights in their office, shut down the servers and leave. The paper said it had received an eviction order and that the system letting it receive reader donations was disabled. Moscow had already labeled it a "foreign agent." Earlier this month, authorities searched Sokolov's home and took him in for questioning, citing a link to a criminal case against colleague Oleg Roldugin, who was arrested in April and charged with unlawful access to computerised information. The paper said six journalists connected with it were killed for their work, including Anna Politkovskaya, shot dead in her apartment stairwell 20 years ago this month. Reporters Without Borders asked how far the Kremlin's campaign against the paper would go.
Newsmax, on the right, leads with the closure itself, calling Novaya Gazeta Russia's most renowned independent newspaper and relaying the staff's claim that officials killed it through relentless pressure. Its excerpt gives no further background. The New York Times and The Washington Post, on the left, cover the same announcement but add context. The Times stresses the paper's fierce independence, its Nobel Peace Prize-winning co-founder and the journalists' view that the government orchestrated its demise. The Post's headline calls it Russia's last independent newspaper and describes pressure at new heights. All three agree on the 30-plus-year history and the blame on authorities. They differ in framing: Newsmax uses "top" and "most renowned," the left uses "last" and the Nobel link. BBC News and Al Jazeera supply details the others' excerpts omit: the eviction order, disabled donations, the Roldugin case and Politkovskaya's killing.
How the sides differ Right sources stress the closure and official pressure; left sources add the Nobel link and call it Russia's last independent paper; alternative sources detail the eviction and criminal case.
Headline, comparison and summary written by AI from the articles below. AI can make mistakes, so check the original articles before relying on a detail.
- The GuardianRussian society being ‘systematically crushed’ says Novaya Gazeta as newspaper announces closure
The New York Times and The Washington Post lead with the closure and the staff's accusation that authorities forced it. They highlight the paper's independence, its Nobel-winning co-founder and its status as Russia's last independent paper.
- The Times of IsraelLeading independent Russian newspaper shuts down, says Kremlin pressure ‘killed’ it
BBC News and Al Jazeera add specifics: the eviction order, disabled donations, the search of Sokolov's home, the Roldugin case, the foreign agent label and Politkovskaya's killing, plus Reporters Without Borders' comment.
Newsmax leads with the Friday closure announcement of Russia's most renowned independent newspaper, relaying its blame on relentless official pressure and the staff's statement that authorities killed it.