Russia withdraws independent news house's online publication rights

Moscow: The Putin administration withdrew Russia's front-running independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta's online publishing rights on Thursday, Agence France-Presse reported.

The new development was a severe blow to independent media in Russia, which is already facing a crackdown from the government. Novoya Gazeta had faced a gradual choke down in recent months.

The editor of the paper, Dmitry Muratov, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize last year.

The newspaper's editors released a statement that the Supreme court of Russia ordered the shutdown of its online website. The decision was held after requests from Russian state media monitor Roskomnadzor, alleging a violation of the nation's "foreign agents" law.

The newspaper said on social media that it has the right to appeal the decision and is going for it.

Earlier this month, the administration revoked the rights to print. This came shortly after the death of the last Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who was co-founder of the legacy newspaper.

In late March 2022, the paper had suspended publication, saying that the suspension would stay until the end of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. The administration had imposed many restrictions on the media in covering the war. Leading independent media houses like the radio station Echo of Moscow and channel Dozhd TV was shut down or suspended.

In September, a Russian court sentenced a former defence reported to 22 years imprisonment on treason charges, alleging that he had spilt state secrets.

Novoya Gazeta's majority of reporters and editors had left Russia.