Russia is trying to silence 2021 peace prize winner Dimitrij Muratov by branding him a “foreign agent”, the Norwegian Nobel Committee said in a statement.
“Dimitrij Muratov was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to promote freedom of expression, freedom of information and independent journalism,” Norwegian Nobel Committee President Berit Reiss-Andersen said in the statement published on Saturday.
“It has been said that Russian authorities are trying to silence him. The accusations against him are politically motivated,” she notes, adding that the Norwegian Nobel Committee continues to stand behind Muratov and the newspaper – independent Russian Novaya Gazeta – of which he is editor-in-chief.
It was on Friday that the Russian Ministry of Justice announced that Dimitrij Muratov will now be labeled a “foreign agent”.
Getting an agent stamp means, among other things, that the people and organizations that are singled out must disclose their funding sources, they are also forced to mark all their publications – including posts on social media – with a special tag.
The Russian Ministry of Justice also accuses Muratov of “distributing content from other foreign agents.”
On Novaya Gazeta’s website, the message is addressed with the words: “What is there to comment on?” After that, those who want comments are invited to contact the Department of Justice.
However, the newspaper adds that 674 “deserving” people and organizations are now on the foreign agent list.
Dmitrij Muratov was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021 together with the Filipino journalist Maria Ressa.