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A day after authorities raided her home, the editor-in-chief of an independent Russian news site set herself on fire and succumbed to her injuries. The incident took place near the police headquarters in Nizhny Novgorod, 400 kilometers east of Moscow.
Investigators confirmed the death of journalist Irina Slawina. Her body was burned, but there was no “reason” to link her death to a police investigation, as she was only a witness.
A few hours before her death, the opposition journalist asked on Facebook to “hold the Russian Federation responsible for my death.” A video posted on social media showed her being set on fire while sitting on a bench.
The day before her death, Slavina said that the police had searched her home. Her laptop and other electronic devices, as well as her daughter’s laptop and her husband’s cell phone, were confiscated. They also searched for material from the opposition group Russia Open, which was founded by Kremlin critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky and which the authorities had declared undesirable on suspicion of inciting protests.
Slawina worked as editor-in-chief of the small news company Kosa Press. The company publishes investigative reports and reports on critics of President Vladimir Putin, according to supporters and friends of Slavina. This is rare in Russia, as regional media are often pressured by local authorities.
Kremlin critic Alexej Navalny, who is currently recovering from poisoning in Germany, described Slavina’s death as “terrible.” The accusations against them were fabricated, he said. “You drove her to suicide.” Local news website NN.ru reported that a street vigil had been held in memory of Slavina. One man held a sign that read “the state is killing.”
Slavina had been under pressure from authorities for a long time, members of the Russian opposition said. “In recent years, he has been the subject of endless persecution by the authorities due to his activities for the opposition,” wrote politician Dmitri Gudkov on Instagram. “What a nightmare,” Kremlin critic Ilya Yashin tweeted. “The government breaks people mentally.”
