Press Release, 10.06.2025

The legendary Soviet and Russian journalist, investigator, playwright and politician was remembered at the office of the party he represented in the State Duma until his death in 2003.

The evening featured speeches by journalist and writer Nadezhda Azhgikhina, Yuri Shchekochikhin’s widow; Novaya Gazeta editor Sergei Sokolov; director Alexei Simonov; Vladimir Mukusev, journalist and presenter of the popular Vzglyad TV programme; Pavel Zaitsev, lawyer and former investigator with the Investigative Committee under the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs; politicians Nikolai Rybakov and Grigory Yavlinsky and other. Songs under guitar were performed by Yabloko politician Boris Vishnevsky and composer Sergei Nikitin.

An exhibition entitled “Shchekochikhin Turns 75” has opened at the party office. It features works by photographer Vladimir Bogdanov, Shchekochikhin’s colleague at Literaturnaya Gazeta, accompanied by quotations from articles published in popular newspapers Literaturnaya Gazeta, Komsomolskaya Pravda and Novaya Gazeta from 1972 to 2003.

“It presents quotations from Yura’s texts, and following publications of his articles people were released from detention, and justice was restored. He belonged to that generation of journalists who believed that an honest word could change lives. Yura was convinced that both society and each individual could become better and purer. And he also had great faith in young people, and during the Chechen conflict he dreamt of putting the children of warring fathers on the same ship. This was his idée fixe. They would have reached agreement on everything – he firmly believed in this,” Nadezhda Azhgikhina told Vechernyaya Moskva newspaper about the exhibition.

The exhibition is open until 30 June at the Yabloko party office for free visits on weekdays from 10:00 to 19:00 at the address: Moscow, Pyatnitskaya 31, building 2.

We also remind you that applications are being accepted until 15 June for participation in the international competition for the best essay “Young about Young”, organised by the Yuri Shchekochikhin Charitable Foundation and the “Happy Stories” Charitable Foundation. Details are available on our website.