Tinius Trust grants support to the Barents Observer
The Norwegian media foundation Tinius Trust has extended its support for the newspaper and its Russian-language journalists in exile.
"The Barents Observer does work that goes to the heart of what the Tinius Trust exists to do. Supporting independent journalism — and protecting the journalists who practise it — is not peripheral to our mission. It is our mission. The four exiled journalists working in Kirkenes demonstrate daily that press freedom is not an abstraction. What they do matters, and we are proud to stand behind it," says Kjersti Løken Stavrum, CEO of The Tinius Trust.
According to the articles of association of the Tinius Trust, it shall work for and support projects that are essential to ensuring free and independent journalism. The focus of this project is the Barents Observer’s Russian-language news service and its team of exiled Russian-language journalists.
The Tinius Trust has supported the Barents Observer since 2022, when the newspaper established a Russian-language news hub staffed by journalists in exile. The newsroom is also supported by the Fritt Ord Foundation, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, and the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
This continued support enables the Barents Observer to further develop its Russian-language journalism, targeting audiences within Russia.
"We are deeply grateful for the support from the Tinius Trust. It strengthens our long-term commitment to independent journalism in the northern borderlands with Russia," says Thomas Nilsen, editor of the Barents Observer.
"Vladimir Putin has built his regime by suppressing media and journalists, labelling members of our profession foreign agents, extremists, and undesirable. We refuse to be silenced by a dictator. Journalism is not a crime. With the backing of the Tinius Trust and Fritt Ord we can deliver more free and fact-based journalism."
"At the Barents Observer, we take pride in hosting a newsroom located just kilometres from the Russian border, where exiled Russian-language journalists can work and publish without the repressive shadow of the Kremlin. We are equally proud to have the Tinius Trust as a steadfast partner," Nilsen adds.
