Novaya Gazeta editor-in-chief Dmitry Muratov received the Nobel Peace Prize

The Nobel Committee motivated its decision by the efforts of journalists to protect freedom of expression, "which is a condition for democracy and peace".

- Since its founding in 1993, Novaya Gazeta has published critical articles on topics ranging from corruption, police violence, illegal arrests, electoral manipulation, troll factories, to the use of Russian troops inside and outside Russia. Opponents of Novaya Gazeta responded with threats, violence and murder. Since the newspaper was founded, six of its journalists have been killed, including Anna Politkovskaya, who wrote about the war in Chechnya. Despite the killings and threats, editor-in-chief Muratov did not abandon the principle of independence and consistently defended the right of journalists to write on selected topics as long as it meets the professional and ethical standards of journalism, said the head of the committee, Berit Reiss-Andersen.

Maria Ressa, the committee said, "is using free speech to expose abuse of power, violence and growing authoritarianism in her home country, the Philippines." In 2012, she co-founded Rappler, a digital media investigative journalism company. Ress leads it to this day. Rappler covered President Rodrigo Duterte's anti-drug war in which thousands were executed.

The candidates for the award were Greta Thunberg, opposition leader Alexei Navalny and Belarusian oppositionist Svetlana Tikhanovskaya.

Recall that last year the World Food Program became the Nobel Peace Prize laureate. It is the largest humanitarian organization dedicated to fighting hunger.

By the way, Dmitry Muratov is the third Russian to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Before him, compatriots' laureates were Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev (1990) and scientist and human rights activist Andrei Sakharov (1975).

The editorial board of "NI" cordially congratulates the colleague on the high award and wishes Dmitry Muratov further success in his profession.