Nobel Peace Prize laureate and prominent Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov was declared a foreign agent by the Russian government on Friday, the 1st of September, and included by the Russian Ministry of Justice among those accused of acting on behalf of hostile countries, despite having previously been praised for his principled work, reports Politico.
The foreign agent designation imposes strict rules on Muratov, which is a common practice among critics of Putin and opponents of Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Human Rights Watch has noted that
“in Russia, the term foreign agent is equivalent to spy or traitor” and is used “to punish independent voices”.
The decision to label Muratov a foreign agent contradicts Russia’s previous praise for his journalism. After receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov congratulated him and praised his dedication and talent.
Berit Reiss-Andersen, chairwoman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, criticised Russia, saying the
accusations were politically motivated and aimed at silencing Muratov, who was awarded for his efforts to promote freedom of expression and independent journalism.
Since the start of the conflict in Ukraine in February 2022, Moscow has restricted the activities of independent media in Russia, imposing harsh penalties for criticism of the Russian army. This repression has forced many Russian journalists to move abroad to continue their work.
Novaya Gazeta, the newspaper headed by Muratov, was suspended in Russia in April 2022 and forcibly closed down, but it continues to publish articles online.
Read more: Nobel Foundation withdraws invitations to Russia, Belarus, and Iran