11 “friends” Roskomnadzor: what are the websites banned in Russia
The Prosecutor General’s office demanded to ban Russian access to sites 11 foreign non-governmental organizations whose activities and so is prohibited in Russia. What are these organizations and whether their sites state system, as the fear of the authorities?
The requirement of Roskomnadzor to block access to Internet sites and their mirrors the General Prosecutor’s office published on its official website. Roskomnadzor has already said that would make 11 sites in the special register of prohibited resources for service providers — that is, in Russia access to them and their mirrors will now be restricted.
This is the first case of application of the law on extrajudicial blocking of websites of unwanted organizations, adopted in November this year. Under this law, the Prosecutor is entitled to request the prohibition of access to the sites of organizations that were previously recognized in Russia as undesirable, that is posing a threat to state security.
In the list of the Supervisory authority became the project “Open Russia” Mikhail Khodorkovsky, as well as American, British and one Romanian organizations — all of them had already been recognized as undesirable. And so they prohibited any activities on the territory of Russia, and for cooperation with them according to the law, entails a fine.
Even if the organization is banned, the site will still contain illegal content — so explained the authors of the bill want to block. “Such resources are used for the preparation and distribution of materials aimed at discrediting domestic and foreign policy of Russia, for the formation of negative public opinion and destabilize the situation in the country”, — stated in the explanatory Memorandum.
So, co-author of the draft law on extrajudicial blocking of websites of unwanted organizations, the Deputy from the Communist party Alexander Yushchenko has told Bi-bi-si that has not yet figured out why you need to block the websites of foreign NGOs. If these sites fulfill the role of advocate and offer visitors the anti-Russian materials that undermine the constitutional order of the state, that no government would stand for it and would have blocked access to them, said Bi-bi-si, member of the Federation Council Vladimir Jabbarov.
Before the March elections, the authorities want sin to block sites, which can be written something that theoretically can influence the outcome of elections, said political analyst Fedor Krasheninnikov.
I think closer to the election I will try to close more sites and to make sure that the campaign was held in the format of a monologue of power. Doubt that these sites are so influential.Fedor Krasheninnikovia
What sites, according to Russian authorities, unable to disturb the elections?
“National endowment for democracy (The National Endowment for Democracy) — perhaps one of the most known in Russia American funds. The organization was established in 1983 jointly by Republican and Democratic US parties, funded by both private companies and the state of the U.S. Agency for international development (USAID). The Fund gives grants for projects of nongovernmental groups abroad who are “working for democratic goals,” said Foundation website. In Russia, the Foundation has sponsored such public organizations as the Moscow Helsinki group Lyudmila Alexeyeva and “Movement for human rights” Lev Ponomarev. The Russian authorities have repeatedly criticized NED, accusing the U.S. government of meddling in Russian politics.
NED was the first organization recognized unwanted in Russia in 2015.
“Using the capabilities controlled by Russian commercial and non-profit organizations, NED participated in the recognition of illegitimate the outcome of the election campaigns, the organization of political actions to influence taken by the authorities decisions, discrediting the service in the Armed forces of Russia”, — said in an official statement the Prosecutor General. The Ministry of justice claimed that NED participated in the financing of every four organizations recognized as a foreign agent (22 of 81). The state Department called the ban NED with the increasing pressure on independent opinion in Russia.
Since then, NED has officially not reported on the financing of Russian non-governmental organizations. On the organization’s website is now reported on the goals and objectives of the Fund and how to apply for a grant.
The open society foundations (Open Society Foundation), “open society Institute assistance Foundation” (OSI Assistance Foundation) — Fund financier and philanthropist George Soros. The Soros Foundation supports programs in education, culture, arts, health, civic initiatives.