Jekaterina Glikman lives a risky life. Almost two years ago, she took a team of 60 Russian journalists to Europe. Journalism was threatened in its home country. This summer, her newspaper Novaya Gazeta was labeled as an undesirable organization in Russia. – A synonym for “enemy of the state”, says Glikman, who is assistant editor. The Norwegian Helsinki Committee and Amnesty International Norway tell news that more than 700 Russian journalists are in exile in Europe today. Working from a secret location After Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the journalists at the award-winning Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta were divided into two teams. The editor’s older guard remained in Moscow. The younger journalists now work from exile in Europe under the leadership of Jekaterina Glikman. For reasons of security, she will not say where the journalists are located, but she claims to have journalists inside Russian-occupied areas in Ukraine. – I am very proud of my team because they survived. They find the courage to continue. I took 60 journalists abroad with me. No one has quit journalism and they all have an intention to continue. Hidden behind the screen with the cover name Collaboration with Novaya Gazeta is considered criminal in Russia. According to Glikman, anyone who cooperates with them risks prosecution and punishment, as part of the country’s media censorship laws. The older journalists who remained in Russia work under pseudonyms: gender, name and place name are anonymised. TWO YEARS IN EXILE: After 20 years at Novaja Gazeta in Moscow, Glikman has now been in exile in Europe for almost two years. Photo: Sebastian Faugstad / news In addition, no one uses a camera either at planning meetings or during interviews. That way, the journalists will not be located. – Anonymous journalists interview anonymous people at anonymous locations in Russia. But we have retained the trust of our readers, for which I am very grateful, says Glikman. – How do you filter the information from Russia? – It is becoming more difficult to verify the information from Russia today. It is hidden and becomes less accessible every day. The authorities use many measures to stop us, and partly succeed in doing so. But it is possible. After all, we are in the digital era and the authorities cannot hide as well as they did during the Soviet Union. Glikman emphasizes that the journalists who remained in Russia are well hidden. Journalism with life as effort In the year 2000, Glikman started as a journalist in the newspaper Segodnja. In the same year, Vladimir Putin was elected president for the first time. Eleven months later, the newspaper had to close its doors. After this, she moved on to Novaja Gazeta. Here she got to work with the world-renowned journalist Anna Politkovskaja. Politkovskaya wrote critical articles about Russia’s warfare in Chechnya and the Putin regime. In 2006, she was shot and killed in her own stairwell. Five people were sentenced for the murder of Anna Politkovskaja, and there are many indications that the Russian authorities have been involved. A total of six journalists from the newspaper have been killed. – I had trouble with journalism from the start. Since then, press freedom has shrunk. There is no such thing as free journalism in Russia anymore. But I would like to add that there are freelance journalists, and some of them work for me now, says Glikman. SNØ: The visit to Kirkenes was welcome. Yekaterina has not seen snow since she fled Russia. Photo: Sebastian Faugstad / news Contribution from the Norwegian press The Norwegian Editors’ Association is well aware that many Russian journalists work in exile in various places in Europe. In October, general secretary Reidun Kjelling Nybø was in Riga, where she met several Russian editors in exile at an editors’ conference. She has also previously been in dialogue with peace prize winner Dmitrij Muratov, who called on Norwegian organizations and authorities to assist. RIGA: Reidun Kjelling Nybø together with Kirill Martynov, editor-in-chief of Novaja Gazeta Europa, and a number of other editors in Riga. Photo: Kim Riseth In Riga, the association received several inputs on how Norwegian press organizations and authorities can assist with professional help and financial support. – I am full of respect for the efforts of Russian journalists and editors in exile. They have very demanding working conditions. Many of them have to change their place of residence for security reasons. It is very demanding to run free and independent journalism at the Russian authorities in the situation they are in now. PEACE PRIZE WINNER: Reidun Kjelling Nybø together with peace prize winner Dmitrij Muratov, Eva Stabell from the Norwegian Journalist Association and Mathias Vedeler from the Norwegian Press Association. Photo: Kjersti Fløgstad Nybø says that both the press organizations and other organizations have given support to exiled journalists from Russia. In 2022, the Fritt Ord prize was awarded to the Russian online newspaper Meduza. – A great effort has been made from many quarters to assist Ukrainian journalists and editors. It is incredibly important. But we must not forget our Russian colleagues. In the past, it has been suggested by Norwegian press organizations that Pressens hus in Oslo could offer jobs to exiled journalists. So far it has not been relevant. Burnt out, depressed and scared Worldwide, 35 journalists have been killed and 503 journalists imprisoned so far in 2023, according to Reporters Without Borders (RSF). RSF has compiled statistics on press freedom in various countries. Norway is at the top of the list with 95.18 points out of a possible 100. Russia has been in decline since 2014, when they were at a “somewhat problematic” level of 57.22 points. This year, the country is listed with 34.77 points, which is considered a “very problematic/unsatisfactory” level. Jekaterina Glikman and her journalists have experienced this up close. CONCERNED: Jekaterina Glikman says she is worried about the newspaper’s former editor and Nobel Peace Prize winner Dmitrij Muratov, who has chosen to stay in Russia for the sake of his readers. Photo: Sebastian Faugstad / news – Are the journalists below you scared? – Yes, they are people. Several are also burnt out. They are depressed. They miss home and family. When you are Russian, you also feel a sense of guilt for being from a country that attacks another country.
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Ekaterina is proud that they are alive. – news Troms and Finnmark
