Russian independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta to close under state pressure

The Russian independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta has announced it will shut down, citing pressure from state authorities, according to DW English.

The closure follows recent searches of the home of its senior editor and the arrest of its editor-in-chief, Sergei Sokolov, as reported by Al Jazeera English and The Guardian.

Novaya Gazeta has been known as one of the few remaining critical media outlets in Russia, with a history of investigative journalism and coverage critical of Russian politics since its founding in 1993, DW English noted.

The newspaper has operated under increasing pressure since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with the Kremlin imposing near-Soviet levels of media censorship and designating independent journalists as 'foreign agents', Al Jazeera English explained.

The editorial board stated the newspaper was forced to cease operations, with Sokolov saying they will shut down their servers and end their work by November 9, according to Al Jazeera English and The Guardian.

Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders highlighted the campaign against Novaya Gazeta, noting the murder of six of its journalists and raids on its newsroom, as cited by Al Jazeera English.