Vladimir Putin uses first comment on Nobel Peace Prize to threaten Russian winner
‘If he doesn’t violate Russian law, and if he doesn’t give a reason to be declared a foreign agent, then he won’t be’
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Russian president Vladimir Putin has broken his silence on the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov, with a thinly veiled threat.
“If he doesn’t violate Russian law, and if he doesn’t give a reason to be declared a foreign agent, then he won’t be,” Mr Putin said on Wednesday when asked if he can promise that Muratov will not be labelled as a foreign agent.
If Muratov “hides behind the Nobel Prize like a shield in order to violate Russian law, then it means he’s doing it deliberately in order to attract attention to himself or for some other reason”, the president told CNBC’s Hadley Gamble in an interview at Russian Energy Week in Moscow. Everyone, regardless of their achievements, must follow Russian law, he added.
Under a controversial 2012 law targeting non-governmental organisations, Russia has designated several such bodies as well as individuals as “foreign agents”. The designation forces them to disclose their funding. In recent months, Russia has used the law to crack down on journalists and media outlets.
Muratov, however, said that he was not intimidated by the Russian government. “The state can do what it wants, but we will accept the prize, we will not renounce the prize,” he told Interfax news agency.
He added that he was not Boris Pasternak, the Soviet author who was forced to renounce the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1958 under pressure from the Russian government.
Muratov and Philippines journalist Maria Ressa were jointly awarded the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize earlier this month for their efforts to safeguard freedom of expression. The Nobel committee had noted their contributions towards standing up for this ideal “in a world where democracy and freedom of press face increasingly adverse conditions”.
The editor-in-chief of Russia’s top independent publication, Novaya Gazeta, Muratov dedicated the prize to six journalists of his team who had been murdered for reporting on excesses of the Russian state.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments