At the request of the City of Maastricht, and in cooperation with the Foundation Médaille Charlemagne of which Maastricht is a member, the European Journalism Centre will host a Press Freedom Debate in Maastricht on Friday 11 May.

The Russian daily Novaya Gazeta is the recipient of the 12th edition of the Médaille Charlemagne. Novaya Gazeta’s editor-in-chief Dmitry Muratov will be participating in the debate.

Novaya Gazeta is considered as the only truly independent newspaper with national influence in Russia. Mr Muratov was one of the 1993 founders of the paper, which gained fame for its investigative reporting on sensitive issues. The assassination in 2006 of Novaya Gazeta journalist Anna Politkovskaya, who was critical of Russia’s actions in Chechnya, was picked up internationally as a clear signal of the situation concerning press freedom in today’s Russia.

The 2012 Médaille Charlemagne has been awarded to Novaya Gazeta for its efforts in supporting basic democratic values such as freedom of expression, press freedom and human rights.

For the full program of the event and registrations please visit the website.