Support The Moscow Times!

Navalny, Khodorkovsky Join Forces to Honor Anti-Graft Crusaders

Opposition activist Alexei Navalny and self-exiled former oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky will begin awarding anti-corruption campaigners generously in 2015.

Khodorkovsky announced the establishment of a system of anti-corruption awards on Wednesday via Twitter, saying 50 of them would be handed out next year, along with cash prizes of 100,000 rubles each.

The awards aim to acknowledge the fight against corruption in all of its various forms, Navalny wrote in a blog post Wednesday. "Some people fight police abuse. Some get caught up in the courts. Some battle con artists, real estate developers. … These people need to be assisted," he wrote, adding that more often than not, anti-graft crusaders wound up being persecuted rather than rewarded.

The prizes will be financed by Khodorkovsky and by donation, Navalny wrote, adding that his Foundation to Fight Corruption will contribute by providing infrastructure and logistics.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more