Russian journalist immolates herself near Internal Affairs Ministry

Irina Slavina, editor-in-chief of the Nizhny Novgorod online newspaper Koza Press, committed an act of self-immolation near the building of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Nizhny Novgorod. She died on the spot, Baza Telegram channel reports. An hour before the tragedy, Slavina wrote on her Facebook page:

"The Russian Federation is to blame for my death."

Spokespeople for the press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the Nizhny Novgorod Region confirmed the fact of the woman's self-immolation near the building of the department, but it was not officially reported that the victim's name was Irina Slavina.

The Koza.Press publication that she edited published critical materials about the activities of the authorities of Nizhny Novgorod and other neighbouring regions.

Law-enforcers searched Irina Slavina's place a few days before she took her life.

"They were looking for brochures, leaflets, accounts of Open Russia, possibly an icon with the face of Mikhail Khodorkovsky. I have none of that. They confiscated all that they found - all the flash drives, my laptop, my daughter's laptop, computer, phones - not only mine, but also my husband's - a bunch of notebooks in which I scribbled during press conferences. I was left without means of production, but I'm fine," she then said.

In the summer of 2019, Slavina was found guilty of participating in the activities of an undesirable organization for reposting. She was then sentenced to a fine of 5,000 rubles.

In March 2019, a court in Nizhny Novgorod fined Irina Slavina 20,000 rubles, having found her guilty of arranging an unauthorised march in memory of Boris Nemtsov. On February 24, Slavina walked along Bolshaya Pokrovskaya Street in the city center holding Nemtsov's portrait in her hands. Several other people were walking next to her, who then laid flowers in memory of Boris Nemtsov in Teatralnaya (Theater) Square.