Nobel sold for Ukrainian kids shatters record at $103.5M
Russian newspaper editor Dmitry Muratov donated the Peace Prize he won last year for fighting to preserve free speech in the face of government attacks.
Muratov, who was awarded the gold medal in October 2021, helped found the independent Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta and was the publication’s editor-in-chief when it shut down in March as the Kremlin clamped down on journalists and public dissent in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
It was Muratov’s idea to auction off his prize, having already announced he was donating the accompanying $500,000 cash award to charity.
Muratov has said the proceeds will go directly to UNICEF in its efforts to help children displaced by the war in Ukraine. Just minutes after bidding ended, UNICEF told the auction house it had already received the funds.
Independent journalists in Russia have come under scrutiny by the Kremlin, if not become outright targets of the government. Since Putin came into power more than two decades ago, nearly two dozen journalists have been killed, including at least four who had worked for Muratov’s newspaper.
I find this remarkable. Not knowing anything about Unicef, I don’t see they have a shady past, these funds could be legitimately used..
h/t pool