A sale punctuated by applause. The Russian editor of the dayindependent investigation nal Novaya Gazeta, Dmitry Muratov auctioned his Nobel Peace Prize medal for $103.5 million on Monday June 20 in New York. The amount will be refunded to UNICEF’s program for Ukrainian children displaced by war, according to Heritage Auctions, which handled the sale.
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When the final offer fell, increased by tens of millions of dollars over the previous one, the room was taken aback, including Dmitry Muratov himself. The identity of the buyer has not been disclosed.
The Russian journalist had won the prestigious prize in 2021, alongside Filipino journalist Maria Ressa, “for their efforts to preserve freedom of expression”. He dedicated it to his diary Novaya Gazeta and its collaborators “died defending people’s right to free speech”.