The Alexei Navalny Prize this year goes to Semyon Kochkin, the founder of the independent regional project Angry Chuvashia and a former coordinator of Navalny’s campaign headquarter in Cheboksary.

Semyon launched the project together with a team of like-minded people as an independent platform where residents of the republic can speak openly about what is happening — honestly, clearly, and without censorship.

Angry Chuvashia covers corruption and officials’ abuse of power, the crisis in social services, and how the war is affecting the region and people’s lives. And it does more than report the news: the project helps people not to be left alone with their problems, find each other, and resist.

Over time, a large community has formed around the project. Today, tens of thousands of people read Angry Chuvashia, and it remains one of the biggest independent opposition regional media projects in Russia.

The Alexei Navalny Prize is a sign of support for those who keep doing their work when telling the truth is punished — and silence is rewarded. We congratulate Semyon and the entire team of Angry Chuvashia, and we thank them for what they do.