Amnesty: Novaya Gazeta Closure a Loss for Independent Journalism

Novaya Gazeta will cease operations on 9 November 2026 and vacate its Moscow office after 29 years, following an eviction notice and the loss of its online donation system, Amnesty International reported.

The Closing of a Moscow Newsroom

The newspaper announced the shutdown on 30 October 2026. Landlords ordered the newsroom to leave the premises after financial organizations stopped providing services to the publication. Denis Krivosheev, Amnesty International’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia Deputy Director, called the closure a devastating loss for independent journalism in Russia.

The closure of Novaya Gazeta is a devastating loss for everyone in Russia who turns to independent, investigative journalism to uncover the truth, Krivosheev said in a statement.

Pressure and Raids Leading to the Shutdown

The financial cutoff followed a series of state actions against the newspaper and its staff. On 4 September 2026, Russian authorities designated the entire editorial team as foreign agents.

Earlier in the year, on 9 April 2026, Investigative Committee officers searched the Novaya Gazeta newsroom for 13 hours. That raid connected to a criminal case involving alleged unlawful access to computer information and illegal use of personal data. Investigative journalist Oleg Roldugin was arrested during the investigation and placed under house arrest. Later, on 15 October 2026, officers searched the home of editor-in-chief Sergei Sokolov.

Decades of State Pressure on the Publication

The newspaper survived years of criminal prosecutions, raids, and physical attacks on its staff members prior to the 2026 shutdown. Several of its journalists were killed for doing their reporting work. Following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, authorities blocked the newspaper’s online resources and cancelled its official media registration.

This long-respected newspaper has withstood years of mounting state pressure, including criminal prosecutions, raids and attacks on staff members, Krivosheev stated. He added that the final blow arrived through private eviction demands and financial isolation, noting that the authorities’ role is not in question.

Demands for an End to Media Persecution

Amnesty International urged Russian authorities to reverse course and halt actions against remaining independent outlets. The organization called for an immediate end to the persecution of Novaya Gazeta and the abolition of laws that impose censorship and stifle freedom of expression.

Russian authorities must immediately end their persecution of independent media, including Novaya Gazeta, and abolish laws stifling freedom of expression and imposing censorship, Krivosheev said. Journalists must be able to work without fear of harassment, prosecution or violence.

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