Russian law enforcement officers searched the home of Novaya Gazeta editor-in-chief Sergey Sokolov on October 15 and later took him in for questioning in connection with the criminal case against the newspaper's journalist Oleg Roldugin.
Later that day, Novaya Gazeta reported that Sokolov had left the Moscow police investigative directorate after being questioned as a witness and had returned to the newsroom.
Roldugin's case concerns an accusation of unlawful access to computer information containing personal data committed by a group of people. According to Novaya Gazeta, the investigation is nearing completion and Roldugin is expected to be formally presented with the final version of the charges.
Sokolov cannot disclose details of the questioning or other investigative actions because he signed a nondisclosure agreement.
Russia's Justice Ministry previously designated the online publication Novaya Gazeta as a so-called “foreign agent.”