Yuri Schekochikhin was born on June 9, 1950, in Kirovobad, Azerbaijan Soviet
Republic. In 1975 graduated from the Journalist Faculty of the Lomonosov
Moscow State University.

Has been working as journalist since the age of 17 years, started at
"Moskovskiy Komsomolets", then headed teenager club "The Scarlet Sail"
("Aliy Parus") in "Komsomolskaya Pravda", headed journalist investigation
department in "Literaturnaya Gazeta".

Since autumn 1996 - Deputy Editor-in-Chief of "Novaya Gazeta".

In 1989 elected People's Deputy of the USSR (electoral district No 413,
Lugansky region of Ukraine), member of Interregional Deputies' Group.

Covered teenage crime issues; was one of the first journalists to draw
public attention to the problem of organised crime in the country; has been
UNO expert on organised crime problems; has written many plays and film
scenarios devoted to re-armament problems; author of literary prose and
publicist.

In 1995 elected deputy of the State Duma of the second convocation. Member
of the YABLOKO faction of the State Duma. Member of the State Duma Security
Committee and the Commission for Anti-Corruption in State Executive. UNO
expert on organised crime problems.

On December 19, 1999, elected deputy of the State Duma of the third
convocation from the federal district on YABLOKO's party list. Deputy Head
of the State Duma Security Committee.

Author of the bestseller "Slaves of State Security. 20th Century. The
Religion of Treachery." ("Rabi GB. XX Vek. Religiya Predatelstva."), 1999.