A court in the Siberian city of Chita has sentenced journalist Nika Novak, a former contributor to RFE/RL's Siberia.Realities, to four years in prison. Sources close to the investigation told RFE/RL on November 26 that Novak was found guilty of "collaboration with a foreign organization on a confidential basis." Novak was arrested in Moscow last year and later transferred to Siberia. Her case was marked as classified, and the details were not publicized. Novak had worked for the ChitaMedia media group and was editor in chief of the Zab.ru website. During 2022, she contributed to programs of RFE/RL's Siberia.Realities. the Memorial human rights group recognized Novak as a political prisoner. The law criminalizing collaboration with foreign organizations on a confidential basis was adopted in Russia in 2022, which allows prosecution for sharing nonclassified information to foreign organizations. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Siberia.Realities, click here.
Former RFE/RL Contributor Gets 4 Years In Prison In Siberia
Russian journalist Nika Novak appears in a courtroom in Moscow after her arrest in December 2023.