Russia bans Nobel-winning rights group, raids independent newspaper, in one dayOne protester stood outside the supreme court with a placard reading 'Hands off Memorial. (Photo: AFP)MOSCOW - Russia banned the Nobel Prize-winning human rights group Memorial and raided the offices of the independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta Thursday, in fresh blows to already diminished civil liberties in the country. Thursday's court ruling to label Memorial as "extremist" effectively outlaws any cooperation with the rights group and makes its supporters subject to prosecution. - 'Lawlessness' -Novaya Gazeta was founded by Dmitry Muratov, its long-standing editor-in-chief who jointly won a Nobel Peace Prize in 2021. Several Novaya Gazeta reporters have been murdered in killings widely seen as retribution for their work.

Source: Bangkok Post April 09, 2026 23:35 UTC