Dmitry Muratov facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dmitry Muratov
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| Дмитрий Муратов | |
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Muratov in 2018
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Dmitry Andreyevich Muratov
29 October 1961 Kuybyshev, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union (now Samara, Russia)
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| Citizenship | Russia |
| Education | Kuybyshev State University (BA) |
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| Years active | 1987–present |
| Employer | Novaya Gazeta |
| Political party | Yabloko |
| Awards | Order of Friendship, Order of Honour, CPJ International Press Freedom Awards, Legion of Honour, Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana, World Association of Newspapers' Golden Pen of Freedom Award, 2021 Nobel Peace Prize |
Dmitry Andreyevich Muratov (Russian: Дмитрий Андреевич Муратов; born 29 October 1961) is a Russian journalist and TV presenter. He was the editor-in-chief of the Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta.
In 2021, he received the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize along with Maria Ressa. They were honored for their efforts to protect freedom of expression. This freedom is very important for democracy and lasting peace.
Muratov helped start Novaya Gazeta in 1993 with other journalists. He led the newspaper as editor-in-chief for many years. Novaya Gazeta is known for reporting on important topics. These include government actions, human rights, and how power is used. Muratov strongly supported an independent press.
In September 2023, Russian authorities called Muratov a "foreign agent". This term is used for people or groups who receive support from outside the country and are seen as acting in foreign interests.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Dmitry Muratov was born on October 29, 1961, in Kuibyshev, Russia. He studied at Kuibyshev State University for five years. There, he became very interested in journalism. While in college, he started working part-time for local newspapers.
After graduating, he served in the Soviet Army from 1983 to 1985. He worked as a specialist in communication equipment security.
Starting His Journalism Career
In 1987, Muratov began working as a reporter for the Volzhsky Komsomolets newspaper. He quickly impressed his bosses. Within a year, he was leading the youth department for Komsomolskaya Pravda, another newspaper. Later, he became the editor for news articles. Muratov left Komsomolskaya Pravda in 1992.
Novaya Gazeta: A Newspaper for Truth
Founding Novaya Gazeta
In 1993, Dmitry Muratov and more than 50 of his colleagues left Komsomolskaya Pravda. They wanted to start their own newspaper called Novaya Gazeta. Their goal was to create an "honest, independent, and rich" source of information for people in Russia. The newspaper aimed to investigate human rights issues, corruption, and misuse of power.
When they started, Novaya Gazeta had only two computers, two rooms, and one printer. The employees didn't even get salaries at first. Mikhail Gorbachev, a former Soviet President, helped them. He donated some of his Nobel Peace Prize money to pay for salaries and new computers. Muratov helped build Novaya Gazeta and became the Deputy Press Editor.
Leading the Newspaper
From December 1994 to January 1995, Muratov worked as a reporter during the First Chechen War. In 1995, he became the head of the newspaper's editorial board. He held this important role for over 20 years. He stepped down in 2017 because running the paper was very demanding. However, in 2019, the newspaper's staff voted for him to return, and he became editor-in-chief again.
Muratov often reported on difficult topics. These included human rights issues, government corruption, and abuse of power. His strong belief in freedom of the press sometimes caused disagreements with other journalists and the government.
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Novaya Gazeta has been important in showing what was happening in Chechnya and the Northern Caucasus. For example, in 2017, the newspaper published reports about serious human rights concerns in Chechnya. The Chechen government denied these reports.
During Muratov's time at Novaya Gazeta, six of its journalists were killed. These brave journalists were targeted because of their work. They included Igor Domnikov (2000), Victor Popkov (2001), Yury Shchekochikhin (2003), Anna Politkovskaya (2006), Anastasia Baburova (2009), and Natalia Estemirova (2009).
Challenges and Suspension
After the Russian invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, Muratov published special editions of his newspaper in both Russian and Ukrainian. He stated that Novaya Gazeta would not follow strict new rules from the Russian media watchdog. These rules would have meant that only government statements could be reported.
In March 2022, Russia passed a law that could lead to long prison sentences for publishing "knowingly false information" about the Russian armed forces. This led many media outlets in Russia to stop reporting on Ukraine or close down.
On March 28, 2022, Novaya Gazeta stopped its print and online activities after receiving a second warning from Roskomnadzor, the Russian media regulator. To continue reporting, a foreign version of the paper, Novaya Gazeta Europa, was launched from Riga in April 2022.
In December 2022, Muratov said that Russia could "destroy" Ukraine's buildings but would "never be able to conquer it." He also shared his hope for the future, saying it "lies with the young generation." He warned that Russian state media was making people think that nuclear war was not a bad thing.
Attack on a Train
On April 7, 2022, Muratov was attacked while on a train from Moscow to Samara. An unknown person threw red paint mixed with acetone on him. This attack was reportedly done to support Russian troops. U.S. intelligence agencies later suggested that Russian intelligence services might have organized the attack.
Awards and Recognition
Dmitry Muratov has received many awards for his important work in journalism. In 2007, he received the CPJ International Press Freedom Award for his courage in defending press freedom. In 2010, the French government honored him with the Legion of Honour, France’s highest civilian award. He also received the Four Freedoms Award for Novaya Gazeta in the Netherlands in 2010. In 2016, he accepted the World Association of Newspapers' Golden Pen of Freedom Award.
Nobel Peace Prize
Muratov was awarded the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize along with Maria Ressa from the the Philippines. They received the prize for their efforts to protect freedom of expression, which is essential for democracy and lasting peace. The Nobel Committee praised Novaya Gazeta for its "critical articles on subjects ranging from corruption, police violence, unlawful arrests, electoral fraud and 'troll factories' to the use of Russian military forces."
Muratov said that his Nobel Prize truly belongs to all the journalists of Novaya Gazeta who were killed for their investigations. He mentioned Yury Shchekochikhin, Igor Domnikov, Anna Politkovskaya, Anastasia Baburova, Stanislav Markelov, and Natalya Estemirova.
On March 22, 2022, Muratov decided to sell his Nobel Peace Prize medal at an auction. He donated all the money to UNICEF to help children who were refugees from Ukraine. The medal sold for US$103.5 million, which was the highest price ever paid for a Nobel medal.
See also
In Spanish: Dmitri Murátov para niños
