A Russian journalist has died after she set herself on fire outside of a government building on Friday in the city of Nizhny Novgorod.
RELATED STORIES: Journalist Sues Minneapolis Police Chief After Officers Permanently Blinded Her With Foam Bullets
Koza Press editor-in-chief Irina Slavina stood in front of the local office of the interior ministry while setting herself on fire. An hour before her death, Slavina wrote a status on Facebook blaming the “Russian Federation” and said police raided her apartment to search for documentation that supported the views of Kremlin critic, Mikhail Khodorkovsky.
” The search was carried out. The lawyer was not allowed to call. We were looking for brochures, leaflets, accounts of ′′ Open Russia “, perhaps an icon with the face of Mikhail Khodorkovsky. I don’t have any of this. But they took away what they found – all the flashlights, my laptop, daughter’s laptop, computer, phones – not only mine but also my husband, – a bunch of notebooks I got during press conferences. I’m left without the means of production. I’m fine. But May was very hurt. He wasn’t allowed to be taken out until 10:30.”
RELATED STORIES: Philadelphia Inquirer Journalists Walk Out Over “Building Matters, Too” Headline
The country’s Investigative Committee said in a statement that an investigation is underway but did not initially mention Slavina’s name. However, her supporters say the journalist has faced harassment from the government for years due to her publication opposing their policies and her various activities.
SOURCE: New York Post