Sergey Sokolov, editor-in-chief of the independent Novaya Gazeta newspaper, was detained in Moscow on Thursday for having “discredited” the Russian army in one of the articles, Novaya Gazeta reported.
An administrative district court in Moscow subsequently fined Sokolov 30,000 roubles (USD 328) on Thursday after finding him guilty of discrediting the Russian armed forces, an administrative offense.
The administrative case against Sokolov relates to one of Novaya Gazeta’s publications entitled “Nobody’s boys” about Russian orphans who signed army contracts to fight in Ukraine, the official Telegram channel for Moscow’s court system said.
Novaya Gazeta said in an online report that Sokolov’s detention was over coverage of the Russian army in an article, but did not provide more details.
Sergey Sokolov
Sokolov took over as editor-in-chief of Novaya Gazeta in 2023, when its editor-in-chief, Dmitry Muratov, stepped down pending court proceedings to declare him a “foreign agent.” Muratov, who was honored with the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021, was declared a “foreign agent” in Russia in the fall of 2023.
Sokolov worked at Novaya Gazeta for many years and also headed the editorial board. In 2021, he was one of the co-authors of a documentary about the murder of Anna Politkovskaya, a Novaya Gazeta journalist.
Novaya Gazeta remains the most important independent newspaper in Russia and one of the few free media outlets left. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the authorities forced the suspension of the paper edition of the newspaper, and in February 2023 revoked its license allowing it to publish legally.
The administrative case against Sokolov relates to one of Novaya Gazeta’s publications entitled “Nobody’s boys” about Russian orphans who signed army contracts to fight in Ukraine, the official Telegram channel for Moscow’s court system said.
Novaya Gazeta said in an online report that Sokolov’s detention was over coverage of the Russian army in an article, but did not provide more details.
Sergey Sokolov
Sokolov took over as editor-in-chief of Novaya Gazeta in 2023, when its editor-in-chief, Dmitry Muratov, stepped down pending court proceedings to declare him a “foreign agent.” Muratov, who was honored with the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021, was declared a “foreign agent” in Russia in the fall of 2023.
Sokolov worked at Novaya Gazeta for many years and also headed the editorial board. In 2021, he was one of the co-authors of a documentary about the murder of Anna Politkovskaya, a Novaya Gazeta journalist.
Novaya Gazeta remains the most important independent newspaper in Russia and one of the few free media outlets left. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the authorities forced the suspension of the paper edition of the newspaper, and in February 2023 revoked its license allowing it to publish legally.
Source: PAP, Novaya Gazeta Europe
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