Home ›› 12 Oct 2021 ›› World Biz
Jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny on Monday congratulated Dmitry Muratov, chief editor of Russia's independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta, on his 'well-deserved' Nobel Peace Prize.
"From all my soul I congratulate Dmitry Muratov and Novaya Gazeta on winning the Nobel Peace Prize," a message posted on Navalny's Twitter said.
Muratov and investigative journalist Maria Ressa of the Philippines won the prestigious award last week for their work promoting freedom of expression.
Navalny was also nominated for the prize, and some of his allies and supporters had criticised the Nobel committee's choice last week.
After winning the prize, Muratov said he would have given it to Navalny and dedicated the award to the paper's six contributors who have been killed in connection with their work.
Navalny said the date of the prize -- which came a day after the 15th anniversary of the murder of Novaya Gazeta's top investigative reporter Anna Politkovskaya -- was "symbolic."
He said the Russian and Filipino journalists winning the prize showed that "now and always we need journalism that is not afraid of telling the truth."
"Russia and the Philippines are such different countries, but the authorities are similar especially in their endless lies and hatred of those who expose these lies," he added.
The leading Russian opposition figure was jailed in February after returning to Russia from Germany where he was recovering from a poisoning attack he blames on the Kremlin.
The 45-year-old's movement was later banned as "extremist" and some of his allies have been forced to leave Russia, under pressure from authorities.
