Published on: 2026-10-30
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
October 30, 2026 Human Rights
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk expressed deep concern and regret over today’s announcement by the “deeply respected and uncompromisingly independent” Novaya Gazeta that it is forced to cease operations. According to him, this is yet another “devastating blow to the remaining independent media in the Russian Federation.”
“For many years, independent journalism in the country has faced increasing restrictions and pressure. After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, these have significantly intensified due to increasingly restrictive legislation, tightened state control, as well as harassment and persecution of journalists,” Tuerk stated.
He noted that throughout its history, Novaya Gazeta and its journalists have made an exceptional contribution to independent journalism and the protection of human rights, often exposing themselves to great personal risk. The journalists faced oppression, lawsuits, threats, and direct violence. Among them was Anna Politkovskaya, who was killed in 2006 after publications about human rights violations during Russia’s military operations in Chechnya.
“We have repeatedly expressed concern about the large-scale offensive against media freedom, including the so-called ‘foreign agents’ law and its extremely restrictive impact on the free exercise of civil and political rights. This law has often been used to limit or deprive the ability to exercise the right to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association, as well as other rights protected by international human rights law,” the High Commissioner said.
“I call on the Russian authorities to cease applying measures that suppress coverage of serious issues of legitimate public interest and to ensure the possibility of full and free discussions involving the widest range of voices – including in the media and throughout the public sphere – in accordance with international standards,” Turk added.
Commentary of the Russian Permanent Mission to the UN
“We are surprised by Mr. Turk’s evaluative judgments regarding the decision of the owners of one of more than 12,000 newspapers in Russia to cease its publication,” says the official comment from the Russian Mission to the UN. “At the same time, Mr. Turk raises no questions about the discriminatory restrictions against Russian media, including RIA Novosti, Izvestia, Rossiyskaya Gazeta, and RT.”
Equally telling is the High Commissioner’s attitude towards the deaths of Russian journalists and war correspondents, the threats against them from the Kyiv regime, as well as the activities of the notorious Ukrainian website “Myrotvorets,” which posts personal data of media workers undesirable to Kyiv, as well as minors. Such double standards undermine trust in the High Commissioner’s objectivity and impartiality, damaging the authority of the World Organization as a whole.
Mr. Türk’s mandate implies the protection of everyone’s rights without exception. We expect from him not another round of moralizing towards Russia, but consistent, principled, and substantive responses to violations of journalists’ rights.
Please note; This information is raw content obtained directly from the information source. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.