Ilya Azar

{{Short description|Russian journalist}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Ilya Azar

| image = Илья Азар.png

| image_size =

| caption = Azar in 2012

| native_name = {{nobold|Илья Азар}}

| native_name_lang = ru

| birth_name = Ilya Williamovich Azar

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1984|6|29}}

| birth_place = Moscow, Soviet Union

| alma_mater = Higher School of Economics (2006)

| nationality = Russian

| yearsactive =

| occupation = Journalist

| known_for =

}}

Ilya Vilyamovich Azar ({{langx|ru|Илья Вильямович Азар}}; born June 29, 1984) is a Russian journalist,{{Cite web|url=http://fapl.ru/blogs/2/|title=Илья Азар / Блоги / FAPL.ru |trans-title=Ilya Azar / Blogs / FAPL.ru |website=fapl.ru}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.gazeta.ru/politics/2008/08/12_a_2808599.shtml|title=Ни единого целого дома |trans-title=Not a single whole house |website=Газета.Ru|date=12 August 2008 }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.gazeta.ru/politics/2008/08/13_a_2809776.shtml|title="Чуть-чуть до Тбилиси не дошли" |trans-title="Slightly did not reach Tbilisi" |website=Газета.Ru|date=13 August 2008 }} special correspondent for Novaya Gazeta since 2017,{{Cite web|url=https://tjournal.ru/flood/39931-zhurnalist-ilya-azar-ustroilsya-na-rabotu-v-novuyu-gazetu|title=Журналист Илья Азар устроился на работу в "Новую газету" — Офтоп на TJ |trans-title=Journalist Ilya Azar got a job at Novaya Gazeta - Offtopic on TJ |first=Женя|last=Кузьмин|date=January 17, 2017|website=TJ}} former special correspondent for the online publication Lenta.ru, and a former special correspondent for the Meduza project. He was a Member of the Council of Deputies of the Khamovniki District in Moscow.{{Cite web|url=https://www.the-village.ru/city/news/307397-moss|title=Илья Азар запустил в Хамовниках районное издание "МОХ" |trans-title=Ilya Azar launched the regional edition "MOH" in Khamovniki |website=The Village}}

Azar was charged with organising opposition demonstrations demanding free elections to Moscow's city legislature on September 8, 2019.{{Cite news|url=https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-russia-politics-protests-idUKKCN1VN231|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190903084654/https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-russia-politics-protests-idUKKCN1VN231|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 3, 2019|title=Russia jails opposition protesters for violence against police|date=2019-09-03|work=Reuters|access-date=2019-09-07|language=en}} In May 2020, he was arrested and jailed for 15 days for breaking protest laws during a protest against the detention of an campaigner against police corruption. Other journalists were subsequently arrested while protesting against Azar's arrest.{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-52839216 | title=Russian outcry as journalists held during Ilya Azar protest | date=28 May 2020 | publisher=BBC News}}

He was also criticized by authorities of Kazakhstan for a text at Meduza describing local separatists. This led to blocking of Meduza in Kazakhstan.{{in lang|ru}}{{Cite web|url=https://republic.ru/posts/46588 |title=Сайт Meduza заблокировали в Казахстане за репортаж о сепаратистах |trans-title=Meduza website blocked in Kazakhstan for reporting on separatists |work=republic.ru |access-date=2 March 2022}}

Azar is a two-time winner of the Redkollegia media award.{{Cite web|title=Илья Азар|trans-title=Ilya Azar|url=https://redkollegia.org/archives/authors/ilya-azar|access-date=2021-09-22|website=Redkollegia|date=January 2019 |language=ru}}{{Cite web|date=2017-03-26|title=Решением "Редколлегии" |trans-title=By the decision of Redkollegia|url=https://novayagazeta.ru/articles/2017/03/26/71922-resheniem-redkollegii|access-date=2021-09-22|website=Novaya Gazeta|language=ru}}