Nika Novak

Affiliated media: Sibir.Realii (RFE/RL), Journalist

Incident date: August 22, 2025

Attack type:

• Non-fatal attack / beating / injury / torture

Who attacked: Authorities

Source: Sibir.Realii

Location: Russia, Irkutsk Oblast, Bozoi

Additional information:

Journalist Nika Novak has gone on hunger strike in Colony No. 11 in the village of Bozoi in the Irkutsk region. On August 19, she was placed in a punishment cell for five days for refusing to give an interview to a pro-government publication and refute reports about the conditions of detention in the colony published by her support group. After the punishment cell, Novak will be transferred to strict conditions of detention. The journalist was arrested at the end of 2023. In November 2024, she was sentenced to four years in prison — she became the first person in Russia to be convicted of secretly collaborating with a foreign organisation (Article 275.1 of the Criminal Code). The FSB investigation accused Novak of collaborating with Radio Liberty's regional project, Sibir.Realii.