Circling the Lion's Den

What did Russia block this winter

Àíäðåé 04.02.2014

What did Russia block this winter

A Chronicle of the Russian Internet Filtration

Schoolchildren Were Shielded by Court from "Negative Information" in the Smolensk Region

On December 24, 2013, it became known that the Ershichsky District Prosecutor’s Office in the Smolensk Region filed lawsuits against 22 leaders of educational institutions of the district. Prosecutors demanded to restrict students' access to " negative information ,” along with a book included in the federal list of extremist materials and instructions for the manufacture of drugs. Court granted all claims and students' access to dangerous information was closed.

The Federation Council Approved a Law on Pre-trial Blocking of Websites

On December 25, 2013, a law "On Amending the Federal Law 'On Information, Information Technologies and Protection of Information," passed by the State Duma on December 20, was approved by the Federation Council. The law provides for blocking of websites that contain incitement to extremist actions and riots.

If signed by the president, the law comes into effect on February 1, 2013.

Prosecutors Demand Restrictions on Access to Websites That Call for Tampering with Individual Metering Devices in Omsk

On December 27, 2013, it became known that the Oktyabrsky District Prosecutor’s Office in Omsk filed a lawsuit in order to force the internet provider T-Servis to restrict access to multiple sites.

Those sites offered for sale magnets that influenced the counting mechanisms of the electricity, water and gas metering devices.

Internet Provider Received a Warning for Extremist Materials in Cheboksary

On December 27, 2013, the Chuvash Republican Prosecutor's Office reported on the motion to eliminate violations of the law on countering extremist activity, issued by the Kalinin District Prosecutor’s Office of Cheboksary and addressed to the supervisor of the Internet provider Internet Tsentr.

Earlier, prosecutors had found in open access publications which are included on the Federal List of Extremist Materials.

Access to the identified sites was blocked. 

Roscomnadzor Blacklisted One of the Most Popular Torrent Trackers.

On December 27, 2013, Roscomnadzor added a torrent tracker Rutracker.org to the list of banned sites; the date of the court decision on the basis of which it was done was not specified. As of December 29, 2013, torrent tracker was still accessible to many users.

Rutracker.org representatives said they did not receive Roskomnadzor's orders and do not know the reason for being blacklisted.

Rostelecom Was Ordered to Block an Extremist Website in Saratov,

On December 28, 2013, it became known that the Kirov District Court in Saratov granted the claim of the Saratov City Prosecutor's Office against the local branch of Rostelecom.

The court ordered the provider to restrict access to a website containing material which was deemed extremist, "O, Sisters ! It Is Your Turn – The Men Are Sleeping! What Should a True Muslim Be Like?"

At the hearing, the provider's representative refused to accept the claim, insisting that the provider was not a proper defendant in the case, and that the resource was not included on a Unified Register of Banned Websites.

The provider's argument failed to convince the court.

Subscribers of other Saratov Internet providers are still able to access this site.

A Prosecutor's Office Seeks to Block a Website on the Manufacture of Explosives in Chechnya,

On December 10, 2013, it became known that the Gudermes District Prosecutor's Office in Chechnya filed a lawsuit against the Internet provider Gumsnet. The Prosecutor's Office demands restrictions on access to a website that holds information about the manufacture of explosives at home.

The State Duma Approved a Bill Providing for Extrajudicial Blocking of Websites

On December 17, 2013, the Russian State Duma adopted in its first reading (with the second and the third readings adopted on December 20), a bill "On Amending the Federal Law ' On Information, Information Technologies and Protection of Information," submitted by the deputy Andrei Lugovoi.

The law provides for pre-trial blocking of information which "incites readers to riot, commit "extremist" or terrorist activities, kindle conflict between nations or religions, or participate in "mass public events held in violation of the established order."

Starting February 1, 2014 once notified about the availability of such information General Prosecutor's Office will be able to contact the Roscomnadzor, which must immediately order the provider to notify the owner of the website. If the owner fails to remove the unwanted content within 24 hours, the site will be blocked.

 

Court Blocks 17 Websites in Novosibirsk

On December 17, 2013, the Oktyabrsky District Court of Novosibirsk upheld the claim of the Novosibirsk Regional Prosecutor's Office against the Internet provider RTKomm Siberia.

The court ordered the provider to restrict access to 17 websites containing publications which are included on the Federal List of Extremist Materials.

 

Court Blocks Two Extremist Websites in Tyumen

On December 18, 2013, the Tyumen Regional Prosecutor's Office reported that the Leninsky District Court of Tyumen had fully granted the claims, filed by the Tyumen prosecutors against the local branch of Rostelecom.

Court ordered the provider to restrict access to two websites that published materials by organizations banned in Russia.

 

Ulyanovsk Prosecutors Demand Restrictions on Access to Web sites about Drugs

On December 18, 2013, it became known that the Zavolzhsky District Prosecutor’s Office in Ulyanovsk filed a claim demanding that the director of the Ulyanovsk Regional branch of Rostelecom restrict access to websites, which contained smoking blends ads and information about places selling drugs.

A prior prosecutorial audit had discovered such information on multiple sites, including “kaktostrann,” “psychotrop,” “vrednodur,” “spice74,” and “poroshoktut.”

 

Ukrainian Website Was Blocked as Extremist

On December 18, 2013, a resident of Ukraine, temporarily located in Moscow stated on Facebook that she can not access the Ukrainskaya Pravda website. When attempting to load the site, a message appears stating that the resource is blocked based on the laws "On Countering Extremist Activity" and "The protection of children from information harmful to their health."

 

Students Were Shielded from “Negative Information” in the Vladimir Region

On December 19, 2013, the Vladimir Regional Prosecutor's Office reported that the Kolchugino District Prosecutor's Office had submitted a motion to eliminate violations, addressed to the director of Kolchugino Social Rehabilitation Center for Minors.

The content filtering system installed in the computer center did not provide an adequate level of protection. As a result, students could visit websites that contained “negative information.”

 

A Prosecutor's Office Shielded Khimki Students from Harmful Information

On December 20, 2013, the Moscow City Prosecutor's Office reported that the Khimki City Prosecutor's Office issued motions to the principals of Khimki Schools No. 19 and No 20 to eliminate violations of the law.

During a prior prosecutorial investigation, it was found that despite the presence of content filters school computers still allowed access to extremist and pornographic materials as well as information about methods of using drugs.

The responsible parties faced charges, and access to harmful websites was closed.

New Bills on Blocking Information Were Introduced in the State Duma

In November 2013, several bills that pertained to blocking information on the Internet were introduced in the State Duma.

On November 13, two bills were introduced by the Legislative Assembly of the Kirov Region. One of them seeks to ban the distribution of “audiovisual messages and materials containing images of bodies/body parts of people killed in road traffic accidents, catastrophes, riots, natural disasters and other accidents” in the media and on the Internet.

Another stipulates fines for distributing the aforementioned materials.

On November 27, the Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg introduced a bill providing for extrajudicial blocking of materials about cruel treatment of animals.

Prosecutors Demand Restrictions on Access to Websites That Advertise Smoking Blends in Ulyanovka

On December 9, 2013, the Ulyanovsk Regional Prosecutor's Office reported that the Zavolzhsky District Prosecutor's Office issued a motion, addressed to the Regional branch director of the Internet Provider ER-Telecom Holding.

The reason for this motion was the fact that the company provided unfettered access to multiple websites, including “psychotrop,” “4smoking,” “kurmut-club,” “legalkaif,” all of which contained information about the sale and advertising of smoking blends.

Prosecutors seek to restrict access to these sites.

Once Again, Senator Gattarov Asks the Interior Ministry to Block a Website That Advertises Killers for Hire

On December 9, 2013, it became known that Federation Council member Ruslan Gattarov made another appeal to the Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev, asking him to block the “Order a killer” website.

Ministry of Interior had attempted to block this site before at the request of the senator, but it has quickly resumed work. Now Gattarov requests a final blocking of the site that advertises services of a criminal nature.

Court Ordered the Internet provider to Block Extremist Websites in Nizhny Novgorod Region

On December 10, 2013, the Nizhny Novgorod Prosecutor's Office stated that the Nizhny Novgorod District Court has granted the petition of Gaginsky District Prosecutor to the Regional Branch of Rostelecom.

The court ordered the ISP to block a number of sites that featured propaganda of war and incitement of national, racial and religious hatred and enmity.

A Prosecutor's Office Protected Students from Harmful Information in Yaroslavl Region

On December 10, 2013, it became known that Tutaev District Prosecutor’s Office in the Yaroslavl Region had issued motions to eliminate violations of the legislation on the protection of children from information harmful to their health and development, addressed to the principals of four schools in the district.

A prior inspection revealed that school computers provided access to websites of an extremist nature, pornographic materials, as well as articles with obscenities, despite the fact that the computers were equipped with content filters. The motions were considered, and the responsible parties brought to justice.

A Library Was Ordered to Install a Filtration System in Chita

On December 11, 2013, it became known that the Tsentralny District Prosecutor's Office in Chita issued a motion to eliminate violations of the law, addressed to the administration of the Centralized Citywide Library System.

In the course of a prior prosecutorial audit, it was found that library computers provided access to publications included on the Federal List of Extremist Materials. The content filters were not installed.

The motions were considered, and as a result, the violations were eliminated and three people faced charges.

Roscomnadzor in the Primorsky Region Seeks to Punish Providers for Failing to Block Banned Websites

On December 12, 2013, it became known that the Roskomnadzor Office in Primorsky Region initiated administrative proceedings against the four providers, who failed to block access to resources included on the Register of Banned Websites. The providers include Logic, East- TV, Vladlink and V.M. Gural. 

Prosecutors Seek to Block an Extremist Website in the Tambov Region

On December 13, 2013, the Tambov Regional Prosecutor's Office reported that Prosecutors of the Michurinsky Region issued a motion to eliminate established violations, addressed to the director of the Internet provider Telesputnik.

The provider allowed access to the website that published the text of a book included on the Federal List of Extremist Materials. The Prosecutor’s Office demanded restrictions on access to this site.

 Prosecutors in KhMAO Demand Restrictions on Access to Extremist Materials

On December 13, 2013, the Prosecutor's Office of the Khanty- Mansi Autonomous District reported that Megion Town Prosecutor’s Office had filed a lawsuit against the Regional branch of Rostelecom.

The prosecutors demand termination of access to a website with materials that have been deemed extremist in court.

The Moscow City Court Considers a Lawsuit against Opensharing.org

On December 2, 2013, it became known that the content provider A- Serial had appealed to the Moscow City Court with a complaint about files of the TV shows Game of Thrones, True Blood " and Boardwalk Empire being publicly accessible on opensharing.org.

The court has not been able to establish the site's owner, so it sent an inquiry to its hosting provider in Ukraine, requesting to reveal the owner's name. The trial was scheduled for December 20. 

Dagestan Prosecutors Demand a Ban on Websites That Contain "Pornographic and Extremist Content"

On December 2, 2013, the Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Dagestan reported that the Leninsky District Prosecutor’s Office of Makhachkala had submitted three claims against the Internet provider Erlayn.

The prosecutors demand restrictions on access to a number of websites. A prior inspection of computer clubs revealed publicly available websites with “pornographic and extremist” content. In addition, computer club visitors could access sites with pirated movies and information about the manufacture of drugs.

The director of Erlayn received three warnings on the impermissibility of violations of the law on countering extremist activity.

Prosecutors Attempt to Take the Internet Provider to Court on Sakhalin.

On December 2, 2013, the Sakhalin Regional Prosecutor's Office reported that the Nevelsk Town Prosecutor's Office has filed two claims against the Sakhalin branch of Rostelecom. Prosecutor demands to restrict access to a previously identified site with publications included on the Federal List of Extremist Materials.

The prosecutors also filed two additional claims against the same provider seeking to block access to two gambling websites

The Internet Providers' Appeal against the Court-Ordered Blocking Was Denied in Vladimir

On December 2, 2013, the Vladimir Regional Prosecutor's Office stated that the Vladimir City Prosecutor’s Office went to court in order to demand that the Internet providers Vladimirskiie Lokalnye Seti and VLADINFO restrict access to websites that organize gambling.

The court had granted the prosecutorial request, but the defendants appealed the decision. The second instance court dismissed the appeal and upheld the previous decision to block the sites. Decision of the trial court has gone into effect. 

Prosecutors Succeed in Blocking 25 Websites in Altai,

On December 2, 2013, the Gorno- Altaisk City Court considered the Altai Republican Prosecutor's Office claims against several providers. Prosecutors demanded restrictions on access to ten extremist books and articles published on the 25 sites.

The court dismissed the claims against the Internet providers Onrela, El- Telecom, and Ongnet, because these providers had complied with the Prosecutor's Office demands prior to the court date. The court granted the claim against Mobile TeleSystems and ordered the provider to restrict access to the websites with extremist materials. The court's decision has not yet come into effect.  

Prosecutors Protected Students from Online Extremism in Orel

On December 2, 2013, the Orel Regional Prosecutor’s Office reported that the Khotynetsky District Prosecutor’s Office, Dmitrovsky District Prosecutor’s Office, Maloarhangelsky District Prosecutor’s Office, as well as Livny and Mtsensk Interdistrict Prosecutor’s Offices discovered that students of several schools had access to materials, which were recognized as extremist in court.

For all recovered facts, the acts of prosecutorial response were made, violations were eliminated and perpetrators were brought to justice. The types of sanctions were not specified.

Ivanovo Prosecutors Went to Court to Block a Website

On December 3, 2013, it became known that the Leninsky District Prosecutor's Office of Ivanovo had filed a claim against the Internet provider Rostelecom, demanding to limit access to a website that posted instructions on making explosives. The court granted the petition of the Prosecutor's Office. 

Prosecutor demands that the Khanty -Mansiysk Library Install Content Filters

On December 4, 2013, it became known that the Khanty-Mansiysk Interdistrict Prosecutor's Office, in the course of a prior inspection of the Khanty-Mansiysk city library, had found that the reading room computers were not equipped with content filters.

As a result, readers, including minors, had access to extremist materials and to information about the manufacture of drugs and explosives at home.

The Deputy Head of the Khanty-Mansiysk Administration issued a motion to eliminate the violations.

Internet Cafe Owners Penalized by Prosecutors for Providing Access to Harmful Websites in Izhevsk

On December 4, 2013, the Prosecutor's Office of the Udmurt Republic has reported about the prior audit of compliance with the legislation to protect children from information harmful to their moral and spiritual development, conducted in shopping centers and internet cafes.

Several internet cafes and entertainment venues provided minors with access to websites with information on the ways to commit suicide, use of drugs and alcohol, and to pornographic websites.

The Prosecutor's Office issued motions to eliminate violations of the law, addressed to the owners of these establishments. One of the cafe owners faced administrative charges under Part 2 of the Administrative Code Article 6.17 (failure on behalf of the person, organizing access to information distributed by means of information telecommunication networks in places accessible to children, to utilize administrative and organizational measures or technical, software and hardware means to protect children from information harmful to their health and/or development) and fined.

The identified violations have been eliminated. 

A Provider Received a Warning for Access to a Book by Goebbels in the Primorsky Region

On December 5, 2013, it became known that the Pervorechenskij District Prosecutor’s Office of the Primorsky Region have issued a warning to the Internet provider Vladivostok Telecom on the impermissibility of violations of the the legislation on information and on countering extremist activity.

The reason for this warning was the discovery of books by Paul Joseph Goebbels, recognized as extremist by Basmanny District Court of Moscow, in public access.

Access to a Book by Mukhin is Blocked in Bashkortostan,

On December 5, 2013, the Bashkortostan Republican Prosecutor's Office reported that court had granted the petition of Aurgazinsky District Prosecutor's Office against the Internet provider Bashinformsvyaz.

The court ordered to limit access to the website, which published Za Derzhavu Obidno book by Yuri Mukhin. This book has been legally recognized as extremist and inciting national, racial or religious hatred.

Surgut Prosecutor Seeks to Block Gambling Websites

On December 5, 2013, the Khanty- Mansi Autonomous District Prosecutor's Office reported that the Surgut City Prosecutor’s Office filed court claims against the Internet providers Alfa –TEL, Comstar- Regiony, Link,” the Ural branch of MegaFon, Metroset–Surgut, Tele-PLUS and Yugratel.

The prosecutorz demand restrictions on access to gambling websites. The claims are currently under consideration.

MTS Successfully Defended the Right Not to Block a Nazi Website

On December 5, 2013, it was announced that, on October 31, 2013, the Tagansky District Court of Moscow has dismissed a claim of the Avtozavodsky District Prosecutor’s Office of Nizhny Novgorod, filed against the Internet provider Mobilnye TeleSystemy.

The prosecutors were demanding restrictions on access to the website “Geroi voli” [Heroes of will,] which published materials, recognized as extremist (http:/www.geroivoli.info/deistvui-nsvp-rialne-odobre), and aimed at inciting national hatred.

The defendant cited the fact that the company provided access to the Internet, rather than to a specific resource; and was not responsible for the content and, furthermore, had no technical capability to restrict access to a single site.

Court took the defendant's arguments into account and dismissed the claim.

According to right-wing websites, another Moscow court hearing a month later decided to block this site. However, as of December 7, 2013, “Geroi voli” was still accessible in Moscow.

 

Prosecutors in Saratov Region Seeks to Shield Students from Extremist Materials

On December 6, 2013, it became known that the Volzhsky District Prosecutor’s Office of the Saratov Region issued a motion to eliminatr violations of the law, addressed to the administration of Gymnasium No. 4 and Secondary School No. 10.

An audit had established that, despite the presence of content filters on school computers, it was possible to access materials, recognized as extremist, as well as information about how manufacturing explosives and drugs.

One of the claims has already been reviewed. The guilty party was brought to justice.

A Senator Asks to Close the “Order a Killer" Website

On December 6, 2013, it became known that the “Order a killer  (http://zakazat-killera.com/) had been at the insistence of the Interior Ministry.

The specific services offered by the site included: “physical elimination,” “a walk in the woods” "for conversation” and “bone-setting”.

A Federation Council member Ruslan Gattarov addressed Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsov asking him to investigate this site.

According to the Internal Ministry, the site was registered using an anonymous registration services company from China and is physically hosted in Moldova. Requests to identify administrators and owners of the site were sent to the law enforcement authorities of China and the Republic of Moldova.

According to RIAN, on December 6, 2013, the site was unavailable, but it was accessible in Moscow as of December 8.

Moscow City Court re-files claims against Rutor.org

On December 6, 2013, it was reported that the Moscow City Court upheld a complaint filed by the management of Mosfilm film studio and ruled to limit access to several Soviet films on the rutor.org website.

The movies mentioned were Kavkazskaia Plennitsa ili Novye Priklyucheniia Shurika [Kidnapping Caucasus Style, or Shurik's New Adventures], Liubov’ i Golubi [Love and Pigeons], Moskva Slezam ne Verit [Moscow does not believe in tears],” and Ivan Vasilievich Menyaet Professiyu [Ivan Vasilievich changes professions]. The claimant stated that these films were posted on the website without consent from the copyright holder.

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Autumn. Part II

Àíäðåé 12.12.2013

What did Russia block this autumn? Part II

Prosecutors Seek to Shield Students from Information about Illegal Drugs in Perm

On October 22, 2013, it was reported that the Ordzhonikidze District Prosecutor’s Office of Perm filed a court claim against the administration of School No. 104 demanding that students lose access to the website containing information on manufacturing drugs at home.

The motion to install an enhanced content filtering system was sent to the school administration.

The Moscow City Court Prohibits Downloading of Two Cartoons at the Request of 2X2

On October 22, 2013, the Moscow City Court granted the claim of 2X2 TV channel for restrictions on access to cartoons Atomnyi Les and Vkhodit Morozhenoe available on the website http://adultmult.ru.

Prosecutors Deem Students Insufficiently Protected from the Internet in the Altai Region

On October 23, 2013, it became known that the Zarinsk Town Prosecutor’s Office issued a motion to eliminate violations of the law, addressed to the administration of a school in Zarinsk.

A prior audit had established that the school computers allowed access to the following extremist materials: lyrics to the songs by Kolovrat music band and the book Drevniaia Vedicheskaia Rus’. Osnova Sushchego [Ancient Vedic Rus. The Foundation of Existence] (“Excerpts from the true early history of the Slavs”). Students also had access to the website dedicated to manufacturing explosives at home. The school’s existing content filters were unable to completely block unwanted information.

The Saratov Regional Court Upheld the Decision to Block Access to Websites with Misleading Advertising

On October 23, 2013, it was reported that the Saratov Regional Court upheld the decision of the Kirovsky District Court ordering Russian Post to block access to a number of websites. .

These sites advertised apartments for sale in a building under construction. The real estate developer for this project is a bankrupt company.

Websites That Advertized Illegal Drugs Were Blocked in Altai

On October 23, 2013, it was reported that the Gorno- Altaysk Prosecutor’s Office issued a number of motions addressed to the Internet providers Rostelecom, MegaFon and Ognet and requesting restrictions on access to websites that advertised illegal drugs.

The providers complied with the prosecutorial request.

The St. Petersburg Prosecutor's Office Moves to Shield Students from Extremism

On October 24, 2013, it was reported that the St. Petersburg Prosecutor's Office issued a motion to eliminate violations of the legislation, addressed to the administration of two schools: No. 512 and No. 516.

In the course of a prior prosecutorial audit, the school computers were found to provide access to extremist materials, despite the existing content filters.

A Court Restricted Student Access to Websites with Information on Illegal Drugs in the Smolensk Region

On October 24, 2013, it was reported that a court in the Smolensk Region granted 12 claims of the Sychevsky District Prosecutor’s Office to restrict access to websites that contained information, “incompatible with the objectives of education and training” for students in several local schools.

A prior audit conducted by the Prosecutor’s Office established that the content filters, installed on the school computers, failed to function properly.

Prosecutors Demand Restrictions on Access to Extremist Websites in Orel

On October 24, 2013, the Orel Regional Prosecutor’s Office reported that the Sovetsky District Prosecutor’s Office of Orel issued a motion, addressed to the regional branch of the Internet provider MTS, to restrict access to a website with extremist content.

A prior inspection found the website, which published materials aimed at inciting national hatred, to be publicly accessible.

Prosecutors Move to Shield Students from Pornography in the Leningrad Region

On October 25, 2013, it was reported that the Tosno City Prosecutor’s Office in the Leningrad Region demanded that the administration of the City Gymnasium No. 2 restrict student access to a number of websites.

A prior audit established that pornographic materials and materials with scenes of violence could be accessed from the school computers.

The Tosno City Prosecutor’s Office demands that the perpetrators face administrative charges.

Website Selling Fake IDs Was Banned in Court in Tyumen.

On October 25, 2013, it was reported that the Tyumen Prosecutor’s Office filed a claim with the Tyumen Central District Court in order to ban the website that offered custom fake IDs of the Prosecutor’s Office employees.

The court granted the claim.

Prosecutors Demand Restrictions on Access to Extremist Websites In Ulyanovsk

On October 25, 2013, it was reported that the Pavlovsky District Prosecutor’s Office in the Ulyanovsk Region demanded that the administrators of the regional Rostelecom branch restrict access to websites fourthreich.info, salaf-forum.com and t-kungurova/livejournal.com.

These sites published materials that were legally recognized as extremist and contained propaganda of inferiority of citizens based on their belonging to a religion or their national origin

 

Four Websites Were Banned in Court in the Stavropol Region

In October of 2013, it was reported that, on July 10, 2013, the Pyatigorsk City Court recognized the following four websites as extremist: Muslim site al-hakk.com, Kazakh entertainment portal www.kiwi.kz, Korean-language real estate site www.mlook.com and the media search engine www.wikibit.net.

The ruling was triggered by the fact that these sites published a video-lecture “Chuzdye” [Aliens] by Sheikh Khalid Yasin, banned in 2012.

Prosecutors Seek to Protect Students from “Negative Information“in Vyborg

On October 14, 2013, the Prosecutor’s Office of the Leningrad Region reported that the Vyborg City Prosecutor’s Office issued a motion to eliminate violations of the law addressed to the administration of one of the district’s schools.

A prior audit found that school computers allowed access to the websites “containing negative information.” The nature of the information was not specified.

The Omsk Regional Court Ordered a Post Office to Block Access To Several Websites

On October 15, 2013, it was reported that the Central District Court of Omsk granted the claim of the Kolosovsky District Prosecutor's Office of the Omsk Region against the Kolosovka village post office of Tarski General Postal Office.

A prior prosecutorial inspection established that, despite the existing content filters, computers in the post office allowed access to the files included on the Federal List of Extremist Materials and to information on using illegal drugs.

The Prosecutor’s Office went to court in order to demand restrictions on access to these materials.

Prosecutors Successfully Block Kniga Edinobozhiia in the Trans-Baikal Area

On October 16, 2013, it was reported that the Chernyshevsky District Prosecutor's Office filed a claim with the Central District Court of Chita against the regional branch of the Internet provider Rostelecom.

Earlier, the Prosecutor's Office issued a motion, addressed to the provider, to block access to the website that published the text of Kniga Edinobozhiia [The Book of Monotheism]. This book had been included on the Federal List of Extremist Materials.

The provider refused to block access to the website, so the prosecutors went to court. Subsequently, Rostelecom complied with the prosecutorial demands. The case against the provider was dropped.

Provider Is Penalized in Court for Refusing to Block Websites in Tatarstan

On October 17, 2013, it was reported that the Arbitration Court of the Republic of Tatarstan issued a ruling on bringing administrative charges against the Internet provider RN Telecom.

An inspection, conducted in August 2013, established that the provider failed to block the internet resources included in the Register of Banned Websites. The court ruled that the company should be penalized by a warning.

This is the fifth case in Tatarstan, when the charges were brought against providers who refused to block illegal sites.

Prosecutors Seek to Block the Website and Recognize It as Extremist in the Stavropol Region

On October 17, 2013, the Prosecutor's Office of the Stavropol Region reported that the Novoaleksandrovsky District Prosecutor's Office filed a claim with the Leninsky District Court of Stavropol seeking to recognize the website http://www.litmir.net as extremist for publishing the book Okhotnik [Hunter] by Andrew MacDonald.

The book has been legally recognized as extremist.

The claimant also requests that the regional branch of Rostelecom restrict access to the website http://www.litmir.net.

Grani.ru Complied with Roskomnadzor’s Demand and Removed the Pussy Riot “Icon”

On October 17, 2013, it was reported that the online resource grani.ru removed the icon-like image of Pussy Riot, by Artyom Loskutov from its site in compliance with the demand, issued by Roskomnadzor.

This image had been legally banned, and Roscomnadzor issued two requests that grani.ru take down the image. The third warning could lead to blocking of the entire website.

Grani.ru is planning to appeal the Roskomnadzor’s order.

Prosecutors Shielded Cadets from Smoking Blends and Extremism in Vladimir

On October 17, 2013, it was reported that the Vladimir City Prosecutor's Office issued a motion to eliminate violations of the law, addressed to the administration of the Dmitry Pozharsky Cadet Corps.

An earlier prosecutorial inspection found that computers in the information technology lab allowed access to extremist websites, and websites containing information on illegal drugs and ways of obtaining the smoking blends.

Websites Are Blocked by a Court Decision in Grozny

On October 17, 2013, it was reported that the Leninsky District Court of Grozny granted 8 claims of the Republican Prosecutor’s Office, filed against a number of regional Internet providers, to restrict access of minors to information that could harm their health.

A Prosecutor’s Office Appeals the Court Decision against Blocking Wikipedia in Nizhny Novgorod

On October 17, 2013, it was reported that the Kulebaki Town Prosecutor’s Office in the Nizhny Novgorod Region intends to challenge the decision of the Nizhny Novgorod Regional Court of July 2013, when the Court took the side of the regional branch of Rostelecom and refused to block Wikipedia. The prosecutors were demanding restrictions on access to the pages with articles about using marijuana and cannabis.

The provider argued that these pages could not be blocked without blocking the entire resource. In addition - and the court agreed with this argument – Rostelecom cited the regulations, which stipulated that the websites with problematic information are added to the relevant register instead of addressing the operator directly.

Now the prosecutors intend to appeal the decision of the Regional Court. Meanwhile, the prosecutors insist that they don’t seek to block entire Wikipedia, but just the two controversial pages.

The Supreme Court of Mordovia Ordered a Provider to Block Websites

On October 18, 2013, it was reported that the Oktiabrsky District Prosecutor’s Office of Saransk filed a claim with the Oktiabrsky District Court against the Internet provider Rostelecom. The prosecutors demanded restrictions on access to several websites that contained information on giving bribes.

The Ruzaevka Interdistrict Prosecutor's Office also filed a claim in a district court against the same provider demanding restrictions on access to a website with information on committing suicide.

The courts granted both prosecutorial claims.

Rostelecom appealed these decisions, but the Appellate Court of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Mordovia upheld both verdicts and ordered the provider to block the websites.

Roscomnadzor Blocked Five Websites About Illegal Drugs at the Request of the Perm Regional Prosecutor’s Office

On October 18, 2013, it was reported that the Gremyachinsk Town Prosecutor's Office in the Perm Region, in the course of an audit, had identified 23 websites with information on manufacturing, use, and the ways to obtain illegal drugs.

The Prosecutor's Office forwarded the information on these websites to Roscomnadzor, which blocked 5 out of 23 sites.

Two Websites on Manufacturing Explosive Devices Were Blocked in the Khabarovsk Region

On October 18, 2013, it was reported that the Prosecutor’s Office of the Khabarovsk Region, in the course of an audit, identified 10 publicly accessible websites with information on manufacturing explosive devices.

The Tsentralny District Prosecutor’s Office of Khabarovsk filed a court claim demanding that the operators be ordered to block these sites. The court granted two claims; the rest are still pending.

Prosecutors Move to Block Extremist Websites in KhMAO

On October 18, 2013, the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous District Prosecutor's Office reported that the Beloyarsky Town Prosecutor’s Office filed a court claim demanding that the Internet provider Rostelecom limit access to a number of websites with extremist materials.

The content of the materials was not specified.

Access to Three Websites Terminated by Court Order in Grozny

On October 4, 2013, the Leninsky District Court of Grozny granted the claims, filed by the Republican Prosecutor’s Office regarding the termination of access to the websites Legion 14 – ia russkii [Legion-16 – I’m Russian], Wilayat Nokhchicho Boi v Lesu (Osen’ 2011 ) [Wilayat Nokhchicho Fight in the Forest ( Fall 2011 )], and Obrashcheniie k russkim muzhchinam na 23 fevralia [Address to Russian Men on February 23].

These websites had been legally recognized as extremist.

Two Websites Were Added to the Federal List of Extremist Materials

On October 8, 2013, it was reported that lib.rus.ec online library and the website of the Otchizna [Fatherland] Russian Patriotic Party were added to the Federal List of Extremist Materials.

Both resources published Russkaia Revolutsiia Neizbezhna [The Russian Revolution Is Inevitable], the book by V.Kvachkov that had been recognized as extremist.

The decision to include these resources on the Federal List of Extremist Materials was based on the decision, made by the Pervomaisky District Court of Penza on July 23, 2013. The court also provided information about the hosting providers: Hetzner Online in Germany (for lib.rus.ec) and Special Domain Services in the U.S. (Otchizna Party website).

An Online Community of the IT- Professionals Was Blacklisted by Rospotrebnadzor

On October 9, 2013, Rospotrebnadzor added the largest online resource of the IT- community, http://habrahabr.ru/, to the Register of Banned Websites.

This decision was based on a comment to the article “Roscomnadzor and the Safe Internet League Developed Evaluation Criteria for Prohibited Online Information about Suicide.”

The comment was subsequently deleted.

Prosecutors Demand that Ulyanovsk Providers Block Extremist Websites

On October 9, 2013, the Ulyanovsk Regional Prosecutor's Office reported that the Tsilninsky District Prosecutor's Office of the Ulyanovsk Region issued a motion, addressed to the heads of the regional branches of the Internet providers MegaFon and Rostelecom, to restrict access to a number of websites, such as oper-v-zakone.livejournal.com , rusland.im/4259, avrom-

caucasus.livejournal.com, mehkkhel.org, and nordrus-norna.livejournal.com.

A prior audit revealed that these websites contained extremist materials aimed at propaganda of inferiority of citizens based on their belonging to a religion or their national origin

For example, the sites published the article, “Stsenariy rezni russkikh ot starogo uzbeka. Poslesloviye” [The script for a massacre of Russians from an old Uzbek. Afterword], legally recognized as extremist, as well as several other items.

 

School Principals Were Ordered to Protect Students from Harmful Information in KhMAO

On October 9, 2013, it was reported that prosecutorial inspections in the the Khanty -Mansi Autonomous District had revealed that computers in schools of Nefteyugansk and Kogalym, and in in schools of the Sovietski , Beloyarsky, Surgutsky, Berezovsky, Kondinsky, Nefteyugansky and Khanty-Mansiysky Districts, provided insufficient level of content filtering.

Students could access harmful information, such as the jokes about drunks and drug addicts, as well as erotic materials.

The school administrators received the motions to eliminate the violations.

Prosecutors Shielded Schoolchildren from Extremist Websites in the Novgorod Region

On October 10, 2013, it was reported that, on September 30, 2013, the Volotovsky District Prosecutor's Office of the Novgorod Region filed a claim with the Soletsky District Court against the Volot village secondary school, seeking to block student access to harmful websites.

A prior inspection identified publicly accessible websites that provided information of an extremist nature.

As of October, the websites were blocked. 

Prosecutors Succeeded in Blocking Websites about Manufacturing Explosive Devices in Khakassia

On October 10, 2013, the Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Khakassia reported that, over the summer, the Abakan Prosecutor's Office identified a number of publicly accessible websites with information on home manufacturing of explosive devices and issued the appropriate motions demanding that regional providers block these sites.

The Internet providers Tsentr Sviazi, Informatiki i Telekommunikatsii, Skat Plius, and Alfatelplius complied with the request, while the Krasnoyarsk branch of Rostelecom failed to comply.

Subsequently, the Prosecutor’s Office filed a court claim demanding that the provider block the websites.

On August 14, 2013, the Central District Court of Krasnoyarsk granted the claim and ordered Rostelecom to restrict access to the identified sites. The Prosecutor's Office monitors the provider’s compliance with the court judgment. 

ISPs Were Ordered to Block Extremist Websites in Volgograd

On October 10, 2013, it was reported that the Central District Court of Volgograd granted the prosecutorial claim against Rostelecom and ordered to restrict access to websites with extremist materials.

The court decision was based on the earlier prosecutorial audit, which established that the students of School No. 5 and School No. 6 in Volgograd, and students of a school in Kamyshin had unfettered access to these websites.

The provider made an attempt to appeal the decision, but the Civil Division of the Volgograd Regional Court upheld the lower court’s verdict.

Beeline Blocked a Poker Site

On October 10, 2013, it was reported that the Internet provider Beeline blocked PokerStars.com, a popular online poker website .

The resource have been added to the Register of Banned Websites.

As of October 13, 2013, an attempt to visit this site in Moscow via Beeline results in a message “Resource is blocked due to the state government decision.”

 

Mail.ru Group Was Fined for Refusal to Divulge User Correspondence

On October 11, 2013, Tsentrobank issued a decision to bring administrative charges against Mail.ru Group and levy a fine of 500 thousand rubles. The decision was based on the fact of the Mail.ru Group’s refusal to comply with the bank’s request to disclose the list of e-mail- addresses for one of the users.

Rambler had been previously fined for the same offence.

 

Prosecutors Demand Restrictions on Websites that Negatively Affect Children in a Nizhny Novgorod Orphanage

On October 1, 2013, the Prosecutor’s Office of the Nizhny Novgorod Region reported that the Prioksky District Prosecutor’s Office of Nizhny Novgorod found that computers in Orphanage No. 3 allowed access to websites that contain propaganda of violence, as well as information about illegal drugs.

The Prosecutor's Office filed a court claim seeking to shield the children from the harmful information and to restrict access to the identified sites.

 

A Court Ordered the Internet Provider to Block Three Websites in Moscow,

On October 1, 2013, the Moscow Prosecutor's Office reported that the Zamoskvoretskiy District Court granted the claim of the Central Administrative District Prosecutor's Office of Moscow against the Internet provider STC Fiord.

The court ordered the ISP to block access to three sites that promoted illegal drugs and smoking blends.

The Moscow City Court Moved to Block the Website kinolovers.ru

On October 1, 2013, the Moscow City Court granted the claim of the company Media Tekhnologii and ordered kinolovers.ru to block access to the movie Tri Vokzala Tri Sestry [Three Stations - Three Sisters].

The Prosecutor’s Office of KhMAO Moves to Protect Students from Harmful Information

On October 2, 2013, it was reported that the Khanty- Mansi Autonomous District Prosecutor's Office issued motions, addressed to the principals of schools in the cities of Nefteyugansk and Kogalym, and schools in the Sovietski, Beloyarsky, Surgutsky, Berezovsky, Kondinsky, Nefteyugansky and Khanty-Mansiysky Districts, to eliminate violations of the legislation on protecting children from harmful information .

A prior prosecutorial audit had established that the computers in these schools provided access to websites, which contained information about illegal drugs and alcohol, allowed gambling and published erotic materials.

The Prosecutor’s Office also filed a claim in court.

The Ulyanovsk Prosecutor’s Office Seeks to Block Extremist Websites

On October 3, 2013, the Ulyanovsk Regional Prosecutor's Office reported that the  Zasviyazhskiy District Prosecutor's Office of Ulyanovsk issued a motion, addressed to the Ulyanovsk branch manager of Rostelecom, to restrict access to websites that contained materials aimed at propaganda of inferiority of citizens based on their belonging to a religion or their national origin. The resources in question were: vdagestan.com, koransunnah.wordpress.com and arii9.narod.ru.

The Kurgan City Prosecutor’s Office Seeks to Block Eighty Gambling Websites

On October 4, 2013, it became known that the Kurgan City Prosecutor’s Office filed a lawsuit against the Internet provider Mobilnye Telesystemy. The prosecutors demand that provider restrict access to 80 online casinos. 

The Moscow City Court Issued Rulings to Block Seven Internet Resources

On October 3, 2013, the Moscow City Court issued 7 rulings on the measures to implement restrictions on 7 online resources. Pervy Kanal [Channel One] initiated simultaneous litigation against 7 websites: fast-torrent.ru, kinopower.ru, kinofilms.tv, tfilm.tv, cinema-hd.ru, seasonvar.ru, and serialu.net.

All decisions were based on the request of Pervy Kanal to stop the distribution of the following film series: Turetskii Gambit, 72 Metra, Azazel, Yesenin , Brezhnev, Granitsa, and Taezhnyi Roman.

Prosecutors Demand Restrictions on Access to a Website about Illegal Drugs in the Trans-Baikal Area

On October 7, 2013, it was reported that the Khilok District Prosecutor's Office in the Trans-Baikal Area filed a court claim against the Buryat branch of Rostelecom in order to restrict access to a website with information on narcotics and psychotropic substances.

Chatovod.ru Portal Was Blacklisted

On October 7, 2013, it became known that Chatovod.ru was added to the Register of Banned Websites. The decision was based on a user complaint about the chat, which was created by the same user.

The Portal’s administration reports that the claimant was a known chat participant, who intentionally created a post about methods of suicide and then complained about it. Due to this chat entry, the entire portal was added to the Register of Banned Sites.

 

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What did Russia block this autumn?

Àíäðåé 27.11.2013

What did Russia block this autumn?

The websites authorities have been censoring over the past months
By Andrei Soldatov

This autumn the Russian authorities have made it clear that they are intent on extending the blocking of websites. In September, two prominent State Duma members of the ruling United Russia party, Robert Shlegel and Maria Maksakova, submitted amendments to an anti-piracy law, prohibiting illegal distribution of movie. These entered into force on 1 August. The deputies propose to supplement the law with measures that protect the copyright of musicians, writers and computer program developers.

In November, Andrei Lugovoi, a MP from the rightwing nationalist Liberal Democratic Party, submitted a bill proposing the extrajudicial blocking of sites containing calls for riots or extremist activities, including calls to take part in public events held deemed to be in violation of the established order. Hitherto, such sites have been subject to blocking by a court order. This initiative was met with general approval by members of the State Duma.

Extremism

Chechen prosecutor seeks to block anti-Putin article

On 23 September the Chechen Republic prosecutor announced the filing of writs against internet service providers (ISPs), demanding restrictions on access to a website publishing the anti-Putin polemic “Putin’s plan is Russia’s misfortune”. The article is on the Federal List of Extremist Materials.

Chechen prosecutor moves against ISPs over Islamist material

On 11 September the Chechen Republic prosecutor announced the filing of writs to restrict access to a website featuring the Islamist piece “Zaiavlenie komandovaniia mudzhakhidov Vilaiata Galgaiche” (Statement of the Mujahideen commanders of Vilayata Galgaiche), which is on the Federal List of Extremist Materials. The defendants were not identified in the report.

Smolensk prosecutor starts proceedings against ISP for video

On 11 September it was reported the Leninsky district prosecutor had issued a writ to the ISP MAN Set for allowing public access to videos included on the Federal List of Extremist Materials. The ISP complied with the writ and those responsible for allowing access faced disciplinary charges.

MTS receives a order to block video in Altai Republic

On 10 September the Gorno-Altaysk city court granted the Altai Republic prosecutor’s motion demanding that the ISP Mobilnye Telesystemy restrict access “to an extremist video clip posted on 16 websites”. The clip in question was not specified. The decision was made in the absence of the defendant.

Moscow court orders ISPs to block sites

On 25 September the Moscow city prosecutor reported that the Kuzminsky district court had accepted the demand of the Kuzminskaia interdistrict prosecutor that the ISPs Click and Obiedinennye Lokalnye Seti limit access to five websites that made available Hitler’s Mein Kampf. The prosecutor also demanded a block on a website containing citizens’ personal data.

Krasnodar moves against extremist posts on social network

On 25 September the Krasnodar regional prosecutor reported that the Adlersky district court in Sochi had accepted the demand of the district prosecutor that it define two Islamist texts published on the VKontakte social network as extremist.

Prosecutors move against website in Chechnya

On 11 September the Urus-Martanovsky district prosecutor filed a lawsuit demanding that ISPs limit access to a website for publishing the video Videovestnik Russkoi Molodezhi (the Youth Messenger), included on the Federal List of Extremist Materials. The case is pending.

Blogs targeted in Ulyanovsk

On 25 September the Ulyanovsk regional prosecutor reported that the Zavolzhsky district prosecutor had issued writs demanding the ISPs ER-Telecom Holding and Rostelecom cease offering access to the websites kcblog.info and t-kungurova.livejournal.com. Both are legally recognised as extremist [for being aliases] for the Chechen militants’ website Kavkazcenter.

Education and schools

Kamchatka schools told to shield students

On 13 September it was reported that the Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky city prosecutor had issued demands that several schools install content filters to prevent access to websites containing extremist propaganda.

Lipetsk schools allowed access to banned sites

On 27 September it was reported that the Dankovskaia interdistrict prosecutor in Lipetsk region had demanded the director of Dankov Secondary School No 1 eliminate violations of the child protection law. An inspection had revealed that the internet filtering system installed on school computers was not blocking access to websites about drugs, pornography and suicide. It also allowed access to the texts of songs included in the Federal List of Extremist Materials.

Blind students ‘could read Mein Kampf’ in Omsk school

On 17 September it was reported that the Omsk city prosecutor had identified a number of violations at Boarding School No 14 for visually impaired children. In particular, the school computers allowed access to Hitler’s Mein Kampf, included on the Federal List of Extremist Materials, as well as to websites containing pornographic images, violence and drug propaganda.

University fined for banned site breach

On 3 September it was reported that the Sverdlovsk regional arbitration court had accepted the demand of a fine for B N Yeltsin Ural Federal University, issued by the Ural regional office of the watchdog Roskomnadzor. The university had failed to submit an application for an access code to the register of banned websites. As a result, students had access to resources included on the register. The court imposed a fine of 30 thousand rubles on the university. The court’s decision has not yet entered into force.

Suicide propaganda

Penza prosecutor tries to block suicide prevention

On 11th September it became known that the local Penza’s prosecutor office asked the court to block access to the website Pobedish.ru (“You win”). The website is part of Perezhit.ru group – a suicide prevention resource that works with psychologists, psychiatrists, forensic experts and the clergy.

Kaliningrad prosecutor moves against suicide sites

On 23 September it was reported that the Moskovsky district court of Kaliningrad had received a prosecutorial request that the ISP TIS-Dialo restrict access to several websites describing methods of committing suicide.

Drugs and alcohol

Facebook almost blocked for advertising smoking blends

The Russian branch of Facebook came close to being blocked for publishing advertisements for illegal smoking blends in September, according to reports from the Itar-Tass news agency, citing Facebook’s Russian press service. Facebook said users had reported the ads for smoking blends on 16 September and the company had been unable to do so because of a technical glitch. The incident followed a warning from the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) that it intended to inspect social networking sites for ads for banned substances. The media watchdog Roskomnadzor subsequently warned Facebook that it had been provisionally placed on the register of banned websites and would be shut down if it did not remove the ads. Facebook announced on 19 September that it removed the offending content.

Reports filed on ISPs in Kurgan

On 18 September it was reported that the Kurgan regional office of Roscomnadzor had compiled reports on two ISPs that were not blocking access to websites advertising illegal drugs.

Yekaterinburg complains about alcohol advertising

On 17 September it was reported that Sergei Trushin, deputy head of the Yekaterinburg administration, had sent a letter to the regional office of the interior ministry requesting action against websites advertising the sale of alcohol. The Ministry of Internal Affairs shut down the sites and the people behind them were fined.

Gambling and casinos

Yekaterinburg ISP loses appeal

On 3 September it became known that the Sverdlovsk regional court had accepted the demand of the Kirovsky district prosecutor in Yekaterinburg that the ISP VympelCom-Communications block five gambling websites based on foreign servers. The demand had been accepted by a district court but the ISP had appealed.

Eight gambling sites blocked in Tomsk

On 12 September the Tomsk regional prosecutor announced that the Strezhevoy town prosecutor had filed a lawsuit against the ISP Danzer demanding restrictions on access to eight online casinos. The ISP complied by blocking the sites.

Rostelecom blocks William Hill

On 5 September Rostelecom blocked its subscribers’ access to the largest UK betting website, williamhill.com. The ISP Qwerty in Moscow and the surrounding region also blocked access to the site.

Rostelecom subscribers could not access the website’s primary domain, online casinos or online poker sites. Instead, they saw a message announcing that the domain had been blocked by court order or that the address had been placed on the register of banned websites.

Torrents and piracy

Moscow court bans 11 torrent sites

On 5 September Moscow city court accepted the claim of NTV-Profit against 11 online torrent sites — free-torrents.org, inetkino.org, rejtinga.net, nnm-club.me, hotbase.org, x-torrents.org, goldenshara.com, rutor.org, torrnado.ru, torrent-shara.org, nntt.org – that were distributing the popular Russian-made films Vor (The Thief), Krutoi Povorot (Sharp Turn) and Interny (The Interns).

Portal avoids block for streaming

On 5 September Moscow city court accepted a request by the Central Partnership Sales House requesting to block the torrent portal Rutracker.org to prevent it distributing the American films Now You See Me and Taken 2. Rutracker removed the films and avoided being blocked.

And the rest

Pussy Riot icon banned

On 9 September it was announced that the Tsentralny district court had granted a request by the Zheleznodorozhny district prosecutor of Novosibirsk to declare an icon-like image of Pussy Riot, created by the artist Artyom Loskutov, banned from distribution via the internet. The image has been added to the register of banned websites.

Block on inaccessible site demanded

On 24 September it was announced that the Yegoryevsk city court had granted the city prosecutor’s motion against Yegoryevskaia Telekommunikatsionnaia Kompaniia (Yegoryevsk Telecommunications Company) to limit access to an online casino website. Earlier, the same court had ruled in favour of the provider, but the prosecutors challenged the decision, and the Moscow regional court sent the case back for retrial. The Yegoryevsk city court ordered the provider to restrict access to the site, but the access to the website was found to already be blocked – perhaps, by the online casino’s owner or another operator. However, the court insists that Yegoryevskaia Telekommunikatsionnaia Kompaniia should be the one to implement access restrictions. The court provided no advice on how to block an already inaccessible site.

Stavropol prosecutor seeks block on e-library for one book

On 25 September the Stavropol regional prosecutor reported that the Novoaleksandrovsky district prosecutor had filed a claim in Leninsky district court against the Stavropol regional branch of Rostelecom, demanding restrictions on access to the website royallib.ru. The site provides public access to the book Skiny: Rus probuzhdaetsya (Skinheads: Rus Is Awakening) by Dimitri Nesterov, which is on the Federal List of Extremist Materials

Roscomnadzor blocks porn site

On 13 September it was reported that Roscomnadzor had included the porn site redtube.com on the register of banned websites. The reason for placing the site on the register was not specified, but it might have been because it published a cartoon entitled “Hentai school girls fucking for better grades”.

TV channel targeted in Moscow

On 6 September it was announced that the central investigations directorate of the ministry of internal affairs in the Moscow Region had demanded that the website of Dozhd (Rain) TV channel be blocked for violation of Part 2 of the Criminal Code Article 282 (“incitement to hatred or hostility and humiliation of human dignity”). TV Dozhd is the country’s most popular online TV news channel and is relatively independent. The exact nature of the material deemed objectionable was not reported. The Ru-Center domain registrar confirmed the existence of the police request, but, since the request was filled out incorrectly, the TV channel website was not blocked. Interior ministry representatives subsequently denied the reports. The administration of Dozhd also stated that they had received no such orders from the ministry of internal affairs.

Saratov ISP ordered to ban ads for bankrupt company

On 6 September it was reported that the Kirovsky district prosecutor in Saratov had filed a lawsuit against the ISP Saratovskaia Sistema Sotovoi Sviazi (SSSS) demanding that it restrict access to an internet portal advertising a bankrupt company. The ISP refused to block the relevant IP address because it was also used by three unrelated sites. In addition, the provider stated that it had no control over IP address changes, while an advertiser could always change it. However, the court granted the prosecutor’s claim and ordered the ISP to restrict access to the site.

ISPs fined in Moscow and Saratov

On 3 September it was announced that the Moscow arbitration court had fined the ISP KMC Telecom and that the Saratov regional arbitration court had fined the ISP Hemikomp for ignoring the requirement to sign up to the register of banned websites. In both cases, the decisions were made based on evidence from the media watchdog Roskomnadzor. It said the ISPs’ reluctance to register and block access to websites listed on the register was in violation of Part 3.14 of the Administrative Code (entrepreneurial activity without state registration).

Amur ISPs reported for non-compliance

On 14 September it was reported that the Amur office of Roscomnadzor had filed administrative responsibility reports against the following ISPs: Amurtelekom, A- Link, Transsvyaztelekom, Inter.kom, KRUG, GudNet, Moia Komputernaia Set, Gorodok, and Edinaia Gorodskaia Set. Roscomnadzor demanded penalties for their failure to comply with the register of banned websites. If the violation is not addressed, each provider faces a fine of up to 40,000 rubles.

Consumer protection site temporarily blocked

On 26 September it was reported that www.i-zpp.ru, a consumers’ rights website, had been added to the register of banned websites. The addition was triggered by the decision of the Salekhard city court of 18 April 2013 to block access to websites containing extremist materials. The consumer protection website had been blocked because it had the same the IP- address as extremist websites. In late September the site was, once again, accessible from Moscow.

Owner loses appeal against ban

On 20 September it became known that Vladimir Kharitonov, the owner and administrator of the website Novosti elektronnogo knigoizdaniia (News of electronic book publishing, digital-books.ru), had filed an appeal with the Moscow city court against Roskomnadzor’s decision to include it on the register of banned websites. Kharitonov had previously attempted to appeal the decision, but the Tagansky district court dismissed his appeal in March. The Moscow city court did the same in September. The owner of the website intends to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights.

Prosecutor blocks 15 Omsk sites

On 17 September it became known that the Omsk city prosecutor had succeeded in blocking 15 websites. Previously, the Tsentralny district court had dismissed the claim of the Omsk city prosecutor demanding that the local branch of Rostelecom restrict access to 15 sites selling certificates and diplomas. The prosecutor appealed the decision and the Omsk regional court overturned the lower court’s decision and ordered the internet provider to block the websites.

This article was originally posted on 22 Nov 2013 at indexoncensorship.org

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A Chronicle of Russian Internet Filtering / Summer 2013

The major news in internet censorship in summer 2013 in Russia is a new law on copyright covering film, television and video productions. Under the legislation, a website hosting allegedly illegal content can be blocked without a court judgment if the owner of the site fails to remove the content after receiving a warning from the state regulator Roskomnadzor.

The measure was strongly criticised by human rights activists, experts and internet companies, but the State Duma approved the “anti-piracy” law on 21 June and it entered into force on 1 August. The first victim was a torrent-tracker site, added to the Register of Pirate Resources on 22 August. Since then dozens of websites have been banned or blocked and distrubution of many movies online has been prohibited by courts.

Site-blocking has also been used against the mainstream media: in June internet users in the Ulyanovsk region discovered that their access to the websites of 14 popular publications, including the online newspaper gazeta.ru and the tabloid daily Komsomolskaya Pravda, was barred. The local prosecutor blocked the websites after a ruling by a district court that articles on bribery they had published “undermined the authority of the government”. Remarkably, the court failed to inform the newspapers of the decision.

Extremism

Chuvash ISP fined for distributing extremist materials

On 3 June the Chuvash Republic prosecutor reported that the Novocheboksarsk city court had found the head of a local ISP guilty of failing to block access to websites posting extremist materials and had sentenced him to a fine of 2,000 rubles. The verdict has not yet entered into force.

ISP fined in Moscow

On 4 June it was reported that the arbitration court of the Moscow region had sentenced the ISP Tefo to a fine of 30,000 rubles for failing to block access to websites featuring extremist materials. The company appealed the decision, but the appeal court confirmed the verdict.

Chechnya prosecutor seeks to block Belyi Bukvar

On 4 June the Chechnya Republic prosecutor announced that a writ had been served against the ISPs Vainakh Telecom, Elektrosviaz Federal State Unitary Enterprise in the Chechen Republic, Chechenskaya Sotovaya Svyaz, Mig, the Caucasus branch of Megafon and the local branches of VimpelCom and MTS. The prosecutor demanded that the ISPs block access to a website hosting the far-right tract The White Primer (Belyi Bukvar), which is on the Federal List of Extremist Materials.

Krasnodar prosecutor moves against Islamist website

On 5 June 2013, the Krasnodar regional prosecutor said that the Islamist website www. islamdin.biz, which is on the Federal List of Extremist Materials, was publicly accessible. The Starominskiy district prosecutor served a writ demanding that the ISP Beeline block access to the site.

Moscow prosecutor requests blockion on anti-Islam video

On 5 June it was reported that the Presnenskaya prosecutor in Moscow had served a writ in the Basmanny district court against the ISP Taskom. The prosecutor demanded a block on access to a website featuring the anti-Islamic video The Innocence of Muslims, which is on the Federal List of Extremist Materials.

Komi Republic ISP yields to bailiffs

On 6 June it was reported that the Syktyvkar city court had approved the demand of the city prosecutor for a block on access to the websites www. islamdin.biz, www.3a ðóñb.livejornal.com and www.pat-livejornal.com. The court ordered the ISP Parma-Inform to block them, but the company did not immediately comply. The bailiff service notified it that enforcement proceedings were being initiated, and warned of possible criminal liability for non-compliance with the court’s decision. Subsequently, the ISP blocked the websites.

Courts order ISPs to block Falun Gong and Scientology

On 13 June the Krasnodar regional prosecutor said that the Leninsky district court and the Oktyabrsky district court had approved the city prosecutor’s demands that eight ISPs – Astarta, Kubintersvyaz, Prestizh-internet, Kuban State University, VimpelCom, Megafon, MTS, and Kubtelecom – block access to sites publishing materials by the Chinese sect Falun Gong and Scientology tracts. The offending texts were Zhuan Falun by Li Hongzhi, Report into Allegations of Organ Harvesting of Falun Gong Practitioners in China by David Matas and David Kilgour and PTS/SP Course Lectures by L Ron Hubbard, all of which had been previously legally recognised as extremist.

Novokyibishevsk prosecutor moves on websites

On 13 June the Samara regional prosecutor announced that the Novokyibishevsk city prosecutor had served 20 writs against the ISPs Progress-IT, TesKomVolga, MIRS and NeksTellSamara demanding blocks on access to websites hosting material included in the Federal List of Extremist Materials. The Novokuibyshev city court has approved eight of the writs.

Mussolini books lands ISP in trouble

On 17 June the Ivanovo regional prosecutor said that the Rodnikovsky district prosecutor had demanded that the ISP Irtek block access to two websites hosting the texts of Benito Mussolini’s Memoirs 1942-1943 and The Doctrine of Fascism.

ISPs warned over access to extremist materials

On 18 June the Jewish Autonomous regional prosecutor announced that it had demanded that the Khabarovsk branch of MTS and the Birobidzhan branch of VimpelCom block access to websites hosting extremist materials.

Kemerovo blocks websites

On 18 June it was reported that a court had approved the demand of the Zavodskoy district prosecutor that an ISP block access to websites hosting texts included in the Federal List of Extremist Materials.

Blagoveshchensk denies access to extremism

On 20 June the Blagoveshchensk city court approved the demand of the district prosecutor that the Amur branch of Rostelecom block a site hosting the article “The Mujahideen statement upon arrival of new bandit groups – FSB and MVD – to Dagestan”, which is on the Federal List of Extremist Materials.

Samara prosecutors demand block

On 21 June the Samara regional prosecutor announced that the Zheleznodorozhny district prosecutor had served 26 court writs against the ISPs Intertelekom.ru, Avantel, and Samara Lan, demanding that they block access to websites hosting fascist propaganda and materials aimed at inciting religious and racial hatred.

Saratov ISP ordered to block websites

On 24 June the Saratov regional prosecutor said that a court had approved the demand of the Leninsky district prosecutor that the regional branch of the ISP Rostelecom block access to websites with extremist content.

Surgut prosecutors move against NBP website

On 24 June the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous District prosecutor said that the Surgut city prosecutor had served a writ against the local branches of the ISPs VimpelCom and Megafon demanding blocks on access to the sites of extremist organisations including the Slavic Union and the National Bolshevik Party.

Mari El prosecutor gets sites barred

On 1 July the Mari-El Republican prosecutor said that the Volzhsk city court had approved a demand from the Volzhsky inter-district prosecutor that the ISP Intercom block access to sites hosting the text of the booklet Rasovaia Gigiena i Demograficheskaia Politika v Natsional-sotsialisticheskoi Germanii (Racial Hygiene and Population Policy in National-Socialist Germany) and the Islamist tracts The Concept of Hizb-ut-Tahrir and Kniga Edinobozhiia (The Book of Monotheism). The prosecutor also sought to block websites promoting drug use.

Moscow ISP pre-empts court ban

On 26 June the Lytkarino city prosecutor in Moscow announced that it had served a writ against the ISP Velcom-L, demanding a block on access to a website hosting extremist materials. The ISP complied without waiting for a court decision. The case was closed.

Penza websites reined in

On 26 June the Penza regional prosecutor said that the Oktyabrsky district court in Penza had approved the district prosecutor’s demand that local ISPs block access to websites hosting extremist materials including Krysoliudi by Orei Volot and Mein Kampf by Adolf Hitler; both of which are on the Federal List of Extremist Materials.

Smolensk prosecutors issue warning

On 27 June the Smolensk regional prosecutor said that the district prosecutors of the Zadneprovsky and Promyshlennyi districts and the inter-district prosecutors of Gagarinskaya and Safonovskaya had issued 12 warnings to ISPs of violations of the law on combating extremism. The ISPs that received the warnings were the local branches of MTS and Rostelecom, SmolenskSvyazStroy, MAN-Set, and the Russian Post (Pochta Rossii).

Jewish Autonomous Region blocks access

On 2 July the prosecutor of the Jewish Autonomous Region said that the regional offices of MTS and Beeline had blocked access to extremist materials after the ISPs were sent warnings.

Novgorod court orders block

On 11 July the Novgorod regional prosecutor said that the Novgorod district court had approved a prosecutor’s demand that the ISPs Maxim +, Novline, Rostelecom and Alfakom block access to a Jehovah’s Witnesses website and to a site hosting the anti-Islamic video Innocence of Muslims, which is on the Federal List of Extremist Materials. The ISPs have complied with the court decision.

Chukotka prosecutor blocks access

On 12 July the prosecutor of Chukotka Autonomous District said that the district attorney had demanded that the management of the ISP Arctic Region Communications block access to extremist materials. The ISP complied.

Bratsk prosecutors acts against extremism

On July 15 the Irkutsk regional prosecutor said that the Padunsky district prosecutor in Bratsk had demanded that an ISP block access to websites included on the Federal List of Extremist Materials.

Samara blocks book site

On 15 July the Kirov district court approved the demand of the Samara regional prosecutor that access be blocked to a website hosting the book Allu Butami Ochishchenie Serdtsa i Tela ot Griazi Mnogobozhiia i Neveriia (Purification of the Heart and the Body from the Dirt of Polytheism and Atheism) by Ahmad ibn Hajar. The book is on the Federal List of Extremist Materials.

Chukotka prosecutor targets post office

On 17 July the prosecutor of Chukotka Autonomous District demanded that the Lavrenty post office cease allowing access to sites included in the Federal List of Extremist Materials, among them sites inciting ethnic and religious hatred. Access to these sites was blocked and the Lavrenty postmaster was reprimanded.

Pyatigorsk says Islamist site is extremist

On 16 July Pyatigorsk city court approved a demand by the city prosecutor to classify the Islamist website firdauz.ucoz.net, which had published the banned video lecture Chuzhie (Aliens) by Sheikh Khalid Yasin, as extremist.

Primorye blocks extremist material

On 18 July the Primorye regional prosecutor said that the director of Fokino-Telecom had been told to eliminate violations of the law on combating extremism. The ISP blocked access to several websites and the ISP’s managers face disciplinary charges.

Leningrad moves against messages

On 19 July the Leningrad regional prosecutor said that the Sosnovy Bor town prosecutor had demanded that the ISP Infosentr block extremist materials. The prosecutor said that the local network sbor.claim, housed on the Infosentr’s server news.sbor.net, contained user messages aimed at inciting national and racial hatred and violence. The management of Infosentr removed the offending materials from the server.

Krasnodar ISPs receive warnings

On 8 August it was reported that the central administrative district prosecutor in Krasnodar had issued warnings to the ISPs Virtual, Komlink, Postavshchik Kommercheskoi Informatsii and Real Comm, which had all allowed access to a video message by the Chechen Islamist Doku Umarov. The message was indicted for public incitement to terrorist activities including disruption of the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi.

ISP told to limit access in Moscow

On 26 August it was announced that the Pavlovsky Posad town court had approved the town prosecutor’s demand that the ISP Elektranet block access to extremist websites and remove the offending sites from its servers. The court ruling has not yet entered into force.

Extremist websites blocked in Chechnya

On 29 August the Chechnya Republican prosecutor said that the Leninsky district court of Grozny had endorsed five demands that ISPs block access to websites hosting extremist materials.

Saratov prosecutor demands access block

On 30 August the Saratov regional prosecutor announced that the Kirovsky district prosecutor had served a writ in order to include the website, which contains a book included in the Federal List of Extremist Materials, on the Register of Banned Domain Names.

ISP loses appeal in Sverdlovsk

On 30 August it was announced that an ISP from Kamensk-Uralsky had lost its appeal against a court decision demanding that it block access to websites containing extremist materials. The company had argued that ISPs should not be responsible for content monitoring, but was instructed to block access to the offending sites.

Ulyanovsk prosecutor seeks bans

On 20 August it was reported that the Inzensky district prosecutor had served a writ demanding that the Ulyanovsk regional branch of Rostelecom block access to websites hosting extremist materials, including kcblog.info, koransunnah.wordpress.com and masteroff.org.

Students ‘must be protected’ in Voronezh

On 14 August it was reported that the Kamensky district bailiffs’ office in Voronezh had demanded that the administration of a district school comply with a court order blocking student access to extremist sites within five days. The school complied and enforcement proceedings were closed.

Altai Republic bans 10 sites

On 14 August the Gorno-Altaysk city court reviewed two demands by the Altai Republic prosecutor that two ISPs block access to 10 websites with extremist content. During the review it was established that the ISP E-Telecom had voluntarily complied with the demand and blocked the websites. The ISP ONGNET agreed to comply with the request at the time of the court proceedings.

Tambov prosecutors demand blocks

On 6 August the Tambov regional prosecutor said that the Michurinsk town prosecutor had demanded that the ISP Yugo-Vostok TransTeleKom block access to extremist materials.

Networking service hit because of 2011 post

On 7-8 August, internet users in several regions were unable to access the popular social networking site LiveJournal.com. Beeline, a major mobile operator and ISP, temporarily blocked the site in Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod and Yekaterinburg because of a post about miendorss, published in 2011. The intention was to block only a page, but an error led to blocking the entire site.

Extremist book publishers targeted in Ulyanovsk

On 8 August it was reported that the Ulyanovsk district prosecutor had served a writ demanding that the regional branch of Rostelecom block access to extremist materials on the websites bookz.ru, svoboda.ru, tvoyhram.ru, e-reading-lib.com and blagievesti.ru. The sites were found to contain the books Krasnaia Kabbala (The Red Kabbalah), Rasovaia Gigiena i Demograficheskaia Politika v Natsional-sotsialisticheskoi Germanii (Racial Hygiene and Population Policy in National-Socialist Germany), Udar Russkikh Bogov (The Strike of Russian Gods), Glavnaia Spetsial’naia Operatsiia Vperedi (The Main Special Operation Is Ahead), and Spravochnik Russkogo Cheloveka (The Russian’s Handbook).

Drugs

Langepas prosecutor demands drug restrictions

On 10 June the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous district prosecutor said that the Langepas city prosecutor had served a writ demanding that the ISP Rostelecom block websites posting information about the use and manufacture of illegal drugs.

Togliatti prosecutors block drug sites

On 20 June the Samara regional prosecutor said that the Avtozavodsky district prosecutor in Togliatti had served 54 writs against the ISPs AIST, Infolada, Infopak, Letkom-2, Togliatti Telecom and Aido Telecom, demanding that they block websites promoting the use and production of illegal drugs. Thirteen of these writs have been acted upon.

Bashkortostan move on ‘smoking blends’

On 22 July it was announced that the Ishimbay district prosecutor had served a writ against the ISP Bashinformsvyaz, demanding that access to 40 sites that promote the use of ‘smoking mixtures’ be blocked.

Moscow ISP told to clean up

On 28 August it was announced that the city prosecutor of Pavlovsky Posad in the Moscow region had demanded that the ISP Elektranet block sites hosting information about drug manufacture. The city court approved the prosecutor’s demand in full.

Roscomnadzor bans singer’s website

On 8 August it was reported that the state regulator Roscomnadzor had added the webpage of Buryat singer Dasha Baskakova to the Register of Banned Websites on the request of drug enforcement agencies. The singer has been unable to obtain any explanation for adding her site to the register.

Bribery and corruption

Ulyanovsk prosecutors seek bans

On 14 June it was reported that the Zasviyazhskiy district prosecutor of Ulyanovsk had served a writ demanding that the ISPs DARS-IP and Telekom.ru. block the websites 7ba.ru, babyplan.ru, daslife, bbcont, Volgograd, which contain information on how to give bribes.

Gazeta.ru blocked in Ulyanovsk and Nizhny Novgorod

In the second half of June 2013, internet users in the Ulyanovsk region discovered that their access to the websites of 14 popular publications, including gazeta.ru and Komsomolskaya Pravda, had been blocked. The local prosecutor had blocked the websites in accordance with a decision of the Leninsky district court, which ruled that material on bribery previously featured in these publications “undermined the authority of the government”. The court failed to inform the newspapers about the decision. On 26 June the ISP restored access to the materials on the website. The prosecutor explained that the block on access related to specific materials published at gazeta.ru, and not to the entire site. The Dzerzhinsk city prosecutor in the Nizhny Novgorod region also requested that the ISP block gazeta.ru materials.

ISPs pre-empt prosecutor in Ivanovo

On 12 July it was announced that the Teykovskaya inter-district prosecutor had served six writs demanding that Ivanovo ISPs block websites on techniques of bribing officials. The ISPs complied with the writs without waiting for the court’s decision.

Prosecutor withdraws in Nizhny Novgorod

On 24 July it was reported that the Kulebaki town prosecutor in Nizhny Novgorod had gone to court demanding that the regional branch of Rostelecom block access to a page of the social network livejournal.com which discussed ways of soliciting bribes. The prosecutor subsequently withdrew because the defendant lacked the technical capacity for blocking access to the page without blocking the entire site.

Ufa nixes bribery sites

On 23 July it was announced that the Ishimbay district prosecutor in Ufa had served writs against the ISPs Bashinformsvyaz and Ufanet, demanding that they block access to websites hosting information on ways to give a bribe. The court approved the prosecutor’s demands.

Tyumen court bans corruption tips

On 26 August the Tyumen regional prosecutor said that the Tsentralnyi district court in Tyumen had endorsed a prosecutor’s demand to block access to five websites hosting information on techniques of bribery.

Reader’s letter from 2009 prompts ban

On 29 August it became clear why the Frunze district prosecutor in St Petersburg had agreed to block access to the gazety.ru website – a letter by a woman reader entitled “I can teach you how to give a bribe”. Several other sites had reprinted the text, so the prosecutor demanded a block on access to these site as well: the advice section of www.daslife.ru, a social network for mature individuals; maxpark.com, a women’s community website; www.girls-only.org; the smart-phone portal www.7ba.ru; the business website bc1.ru; and a pregnancy-planning portal, babyplan.ru. The Frunze district prosecutor said that that the managers of these websites should face criminal responsibility “for their effects on the mind and will of the actor (cultivating an intention to commit a crime) in the form of advice, guidance, or providing information”.

Samara court moves against bribery advice

On 9 August it was reported that the Samarsky district court had approved six writs from the district prosecutor demanding blocks on access to websites providing information on how to commit crimes of corruption. The names of the websites in question were not reported.

Pyramid schemes shut down in Volgograd

On 12 August the Volgograd regional prosecutor said that the Tsentralny district prosecutor had served 44 writs in local courts against ISPs demanding blocks on access to websites advertising a pyramid scheme, the Group of Social Solidarity: the Knights (Gruppa sotsial’noi solidarnosti: Vitiazi).

Krasnodar prosecutor aims at anti-draft info

On 14 August the Krasnodar regional prosecutor said that the prosecutor of its central administrative district had served eight writs against ISPs to block access to websites hosting information on the ways to evade military service.

Samara prosecutor bars corruption sites

On 8 August the Samara regional prosecutor said that a district court in Samara had approved six writs from the district prosecutor blocking access to websites hosting information on how to commit corruption offences.

Gambling

Nyagan court orders ban

On 14 June it was reported that a court had approved a writ from the Nyagan town prosecutor demanding that the ISP Rostelecom block access to gambling websites.

Bryansk gambling sites blocked

On 19 June the Bryansk regional prosecutor said that the Soviet district court had approved a writ from the Fokinsky district prosecutor demanding that the ISP Mobilnye TeleSystemy block access to seven gambling websites.

Stavropol court demands block

On 21 June it was reported that the Leninsky district court had approved a writ from the Stavropol district prosecutor, demanding that ISPs block access to 80 sites involved in illegal gambling activities.

Pyramid-scheme sites targeted in Ulyanovsk

On 26 June it was reported that a court had approved a writ from the Leninsky district prosecutor demanding that the ISP ER-Telekom Holdingblock block access to six websites run by the MMM pyramid scheme.

Online casinos barred in Stavropol

On 27 June it was reported that the Leninsky district court had approved a writ from the Stavropol city prosecutor demanding that the ISP VimpelCom block access to 80 gambling websites.

Ivanovo prosecutor demands pyramid scheme ban

On 28 June the Ivanovo regional prosecutor said that the Teikovsky Inter-district prosecutor had served 20 court orders blocking the MMM and MMM-2012 pyramid scheme websites.

Samara gambling sites blocked

On 15 July the Samara regional prosecutor announced that the Kirovsky district court of Samara had approved five writs from the Samara district prosecutor demanding blocks on gambling websites.

Magadan bailiffs act against ISP

On 18 July it was announced that the Susumansky district bailiffs department had initiated enforcement proceedings against the ISP Hitek, which had been ordered to block subscribers’ access to the website www.win-win-casino.com within five days of a court decision coming into force. The ISP blocked access to the site.

Samara blocks 210 online casinos

On 19 August the Samara regional prosecutor said that the Oktyabrsky district court of Samara had approved 210 writs from the district prosecutor blocking access to gambling websites. Six additional writs are pending.

Casino ban bill introduced in State Duma

On 19 July a bill allowing blocks on access to online casinos was introduced in the State Duma. The initiative came from Moscow Duma deputies. The bill suggests “the decision with respect to information that allows to take part in gambling activities via telecommunication networks, such as the internet” as a basis for inclusion on the Register of Banned Websites.

Omsk bailiffs ordered in on ISP

On 21 August it was reported that the Leninsky district court in Omsk had asked bailiffs to enforce a court decision ordering an ISP to block access to online casinos. The ISP complied with the request within five days. The name of the ISP was not specified.

Moscow ISPs ordered to block casinos

On August 7 the Moscow city prosecutor reported that the Kuntsevskiy district court had approved a writ from the district prosecutor demanding that the ISPs Velnet, SITS and SmarTel block access to gambling websites.

Perm court institutes ban

On 1 August it was reported that the Leninsky district court of Perm had approved a writ from the Kosinski district prosecutor demanding that the regional branch of Rostelecom block access to the MMM- 2011 pyramid scheme website. The court’s decision has not yet entered into force.

Ulyanovsk court blocks online casino

On 8 July it was reported that the Ulyanovsk regional prosecutor had served a writ against the regional branch of Rostelecom demanding it block access to the gambling website slotico.com. The court approved the writ.

Arkhangelsk ISP accedes to demands

On 26 July it was reported that the ISP ATK had on the request of the city prosecutor blocked access to online casinos and the MMM- 2013 pyramid scheme website. The ISP acted before court approval of the prosecutor’s demand.

Explosives manufacturing

Chechnya prosecutor demands explosives ban

On 4 June the Chechnya Republic prosecutor was reported to have served writs against the ISPs Vainakh Telecom, Elektrosviaz, Chechenskaya Sotovaya Svyaz and Mig, the Caucasus branch of Megafon, and the local branches of VimpelCom and MTS, demanding that they block access to two websites featuring information on manufacturing explosives at home.

Samara court blocks explosives site

On 4 June the Kirov district court of Samara approved the district prosecutor’s writ blocking access to a website hosting information on manufacturing improvised explosive devices.

Pyatigorsk bans weapons information

On 22 June it was announced that the Pyatigorsk city court had approved a writ from the city prosecutor demanding that the ISP KMVtelekom block access to websites hosting information on manufacturing weapons.

Chechnya prosecutor moves against ISPs

On 24 June it was reported that the Chechnya prosecutor had served a writ in the Leninsky district court in Grozny against the ISPs Vainakh Telecom, Elektrosviaz, Chechenskaya Sotovaya Svyaz and Mig, the Caucasus branch of Megafon, and the local branches of VimpelCom and MTS, demanding a block on access to a website hosting information on manufacturing explosives.

Pyatigorsk court blocks arms websites

On 26 June it was announced that the Pyatigorsk city court had ordered the ISP KMVtelekom to block access to websites advertising the sale of weapons and providing information on manufacturing of explosives and weapons.

Chechnya prosecutor demands action on explosives info

On 25 June the Chechen Republic prosecutor said that the Gudermessky district prosecutor had served two writs against the ISP Gumsnet demanding that it block access to a website hosting information on manufacturing explosives.

Trans-Baikal prosecutor gives ISP ultimatum

On 28 June the Trans-Baikal regional prosecutor issued a writ against the ISP ChitaTechEnergo, demanding it block access to several websites hosting information on manufacturing explosives.

Explosives sites identified in Omsk

On 19 July it was reported that the Omsk central district prosecutor had served writs against the ISPs T-Service, Media Group and Kompleksnye Komputernye Sistemy demanding that they block three websites hosting information on ways to give a bribe and home manufacturing of explosives.

TransBaikal court blocks access to bomb website

On 7 August the Transbaikal regional prosecutor said that on August 7 the Chita central district court had approved a writ from the regional prosecutor demanding that the regional branch of the ISP Rostelecom block access to a website hosting information on manufacturing of explosives. The ISP had refused to comply voluntarily with the prosecutor’s demand.

Mordovia prosecutor seeks ban

On 30 July the Mordovia Republic prosecutor said that the Ruzaevsky inter-district prosecutor had served a writ against the ISP Rostelecom demanding it block access to two websites hosting information on manufacturing explosives.

Grozny court orders explosives block

On 9 July the Leninsky district court of Grozny approved six writs from the Chechnya Republic prosecutor demanding blocks on access to websites hosting information on improvised explosive devices.

Piracy

VKontakte deletes audio files

On 14 June it was reported that the administration of the social network VKontakte had started deleting its music content in anticipation of the anti-piracy bill being considered by the State Duma. Users who download audio files personally, rather than copying them from another person, received messages from the network administration demanding that they remove any material that infringed on copyright.

New copyright and piracy law comes into force

On 21 June the State Duma passed a new law on protection of copyright in film, television and video productions. Any website hosting allegedly illegal content can now be blocked without waiting for a court judgment if the owner of the site fails to remove the identified material after a warning from the regulator Roskomnadzor.

On 1 August the “anti-piracy” law entered into force. On the first day, the Moscow city court rejected three writs. Seichas, a media distribution company, demanded a block on access to five films found on the Turbofilm.tv and Rutor.org websites, and additional blocks on access to movies posted by users of the social network VKontakte.
The writs were rejected on the grounds that the applicants had failed to indicate the persons against whom they sought action and had not supplied other documentation.
Roscomnadzor opened a website for complaints about piracy, NAP.RKN.GOV.RU, on 1 August.

First entry appears on piracy register

On 22 August it was announced that Roscomnadzor had added the address of the torrent tracker Opensharing.org to its Register of Pirate Resources, stating that the owners of the site had “failed to remove within the stipulated statutory period the technical ability to download the following 10 films, the rights to which were claimed by the company Direktsiia Kino: Vysotsky; Spasibo; Chto Zhivoi; Diversant; Konets Voiny; Dve Sud’by; Novaia Zhizn; Desantura; Nikto Krome Nas; Admiral; Ischeznuvshie; Leto Volkov; Kanikuly Strogogo Rezhima; Liubov Pod Prikrytiem; and Podsadnoi.

Prosecutors demand block on gazety.ru in St Petersburg

On 23 August Fontanka.ru said that the St Petersburg city prosecutor had demanded a block on the online newspaper gazety.ru for publishing an article allegedly promoting corruption in 2009.

Another site added to piracy list

On 27 August it was announced that the state regulator Roscomnadzor had added rutor.org to the Register of Banned Websites. The website opensharing.org had previously been included on the register, then taken off the list after removing its illegal content, and then added again after it was established that its distribution of pirated materials had been resumed.

Moscow court bans sharing of online movies

On 13 August the Moscow city court upheld the claim of the company Direktsiia Kino demanding the termination of access to the following movies: Vysotsky; Spasibo; Chto Zhivoi; Diversant; Konets Voiny; Dve Sud’by; Novaia Zhizn; Desantura; Nikto Krome Nas; Admiral; Kanikuly Strogogo Rezhima; Liubov Pod Prikrytiem; Trudno Byt’ Macho; Podsadnoi; Belaia Noch; and Nezhnaia Noch. The defendant website was not identified.

On 31 August the Moscow city court handed down three decisions on appeals from Central Partnership Sales House. The court ordered termination of distribution online of pirated copies the films Legenda No 17 (the name of the film was misspelled in the text of the verdict), Legenda o Kruge, Marafon, Pyat’ Nevest, O Chem Molchat Devushki and Likvidatsiia on the sites rutor.org and nnm-club.ru.

Moscow court upholds copyright on TV series

On 8 August it was announced that the Moscow city court had upheld a request from the media distribution company Seichas for a block on access to the TV series Interny, Sasha, Tania, HB and Univer Novaia Obshaga. The court ordered the website rutor.org to block access to the series and the website Turbofilm.tv to block access to Komputershchiki TV series.

TV company demands block

On 15 August the Moscow city court upheld the claim of Pimanov and Partners against a website that had made three seasons of the series Aleksandrovsky Sad and Zhukov available online. The plaintiff demanded a block on access to the offending website. The unnamed site was given 15 days to confirm its right to distribute the material.

Moscow court bars pirate series

On 16 August it was announced that the Moscow city court had upheld a demand from the All-Russian State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company that the website rutor.org block access to the TV series Institut Blagorodnykh Devits.

Move against piracy approved

On 16 August the Moscow city court upheld four claims by media companies NTV-Profit and Novyi Disk-trei seeking to block internet access to the TV series Vor, Dve Luny Tri Solntsa, Umirat Legko, Mama, Russkii Bunt, Poklonnnik, Kliuchi ot Smerti, Den’ Rozhdeniya Burzhuia and Krutye Povoroty.

Court backs anti-piracy action

On 8 August it was reported that the Moscow city court had approved the media distribution company Seichas’s demand for a ban on the websites rutor.org and turbofilm.tv making available online the TV series Interny, Sasha, Tania, Univer Novaia Obshaga and The IT Crowd.

Education and public spaces

Saratov schools penalised over filters
On 10 June it was reported that the Turkovsky district prosecutor in Saratov had demanded that 10 schools improve their internet filtering to prevent students accessing extremist materials. Eighteen officials face disciplinary actions.

Novgorod prosecutor acts on explosives

On 21 June the Novgorod regional prosecutor said that the Batetsky district prosecutor had demanded that the chairman of the district’s education committee block access to websites hosting information on manufacturing explosives from the computers in Gorodnia village secondary school. Access to the offending websites has been blocked.

ISP blocks sites before court decision

After an inspection in March 2013 revealed that computers at Dubnenskaya and Voskresenskaya schools in the Dubnensky district in Tula provided access to online pornography and to the text of Hitler’s Mein Kampf, the Dubnensky district prosecutor demanded that access to these sites be blocked. On 25 June, the case was dismissed due to the fact that the ISP Rostelecom had blocked the websites prior to the start of the proceedings.

Chapaevsk school told to block websites

On 26 June it was announced that the Chapaevsk city court in Samara had approved the city prosecutor’s demand that the principal of School No 8 in Chapaevsk install content filters on its computers after the prosecutor found that students had access to extremist and pornographic websites and to the VKontakte and Odnoklassniki social networks.

Sverdlovsk schools warned on filtering

On 27 June the Sverdlovsk regional prosecutor said that the Chkalovsky district prosecutor had found that the computers of Yekaterinburg Gymnasium No 39 allowed access to extremist materials, despite being equipped with content filters. The school principal was issued a warning.

Yaroslavl prosecutor demands shield for children

On 28 June it was reported that the Kirov district prosecutor in Yaroslavl had demanded that schools No 42 and No 43 cease allowing access from their computers to websites hosting extremist and pornographic materials.

Stavropol students ‘must be protected’

On 18 July the Stavropol regional prosecutor said that the Budennovskaya inter-district prosecutor had issued eight demands that schools block access to websites hosting extremist materials, pornography and promotion of drug abuse. The schools have complied and the responsible parties face disciplinary charges.

Schools told to shield children from drugs

On 25 July it was reported that the Monastyrshchinsky district prosecutor in Nizhny Novgorod had served 12 court writs demanding that secondary schools block access to websites hosting recipes for making illegal drugs. All 12 writs were approved.

Chapaevsk limits access to gambling sites

On 25 July the Samara regional prosecutor said that the Leninsky district court in Samara had approved 16 writs from the Chapaevsk prosecutor demanding a block on access to websites that facilitate online gambling.

Novgorod blocks school computers

On 31 July the Novgorod regional prosecutor said that the Batetsky district prosecutor had demanded that the chairman of the district board of education block access to websites giving advice on bribery from school computers in the villages of Gorodnia and Batetsky. The sites were blocked.

Saratov prosecutor acts on ‘smoking blends’

On 2 August the Saratov regional prosecutor said that Aleksandrovo-Gaisky district prosecutor had demanded that the principal of Secondary School No 3 in the village of Aleksandrov-Gai block access websites with information on illegal drugs.

Gaming hall ‘allowed access to extremist material’

On 17 July the Volgograd regional prosecutor said that the Kamyshinsk city prosecutor had served a writ against the proprietor of the local gaming hall Ramdos, Tsereus, demanding a block on access to websites hosting extremist materials. The gaming hall has been shut down for breaches of fire regulations.

Belgorod ISPs face clampdown

On 29 August it was reported that the Belgorod regional office of the state regulator Roscomnadzor had reported the ISPs Rosinterkom, Svyazinform, Radius and Optiktelekom for failing to block access to materials on the Register of Banned Websites. The case will now go to the Belgorod arbitration court for consideration.

Kazan ISP warned of violations

On 22 August it was announced that Roscomnadzor office in the Tatarstan Republic had compiled a record of alleged failures by the ISP SKS-AiTiTelekom to block access to websites and pages included in the Register of Banned Websites.

Pornography

Porn site blocked in Mordovia

On 16 July the Mordovia Republic prosecutor said that the Ruzaevskaya inter-district prosecutor had served a writ against the Mordovian branch of Rostelecom, seeking to block access to a porn website. The Leninsky district court in Saransk endorsed the writ.

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A Chronicle of Russian Internet Filtering / June 2013

An Internet Provider Was Ordered to Block Extremist Websites in the Saratov Region

On June 24, 2013, the Saratov Regional Prosecutor's Office reported that a court had satisfied the claim of the Leninsky District Prosecutor’s Office of Saratov demanding that the Regional branch of the Internet provider Rostelecom restrict access to websites with extremist content.

Earlier, a prosecutorial inspection had identified publicly available websites containing calls for terrorism and incitements toward hatred.

Surgut Prosecutors Seek to Block the NBP Website

On June 24, 2013, the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous District Prosecutor’s Office reported that the Surgut City Prosecutor’s Office had filed a lawsuit against the local branches of the Internet providers VimpelCom and Megafon. The prosecutors demand restrictions on access to the sites of several organizations, recognized as extremist, specifically, the Slavic Union (Slavyansky soiuz, SS) and the National Bolshevik Party.

The Chechnya Republican Prosecutor’s Office Seeks to Block a Website

On June 24, 2013, it became known that the Chechnya Prosecutor’s Office filed a claim in the Leninsky District Court of Grozny against a number of providers. The Prosecutor’s Office demands that the Internet providers Vainakh Telecom, Elektrosviaz’ Federal State Unitary Enterprise in the Chechen Republic, Chechenskaya Sotovaya Svyaz, Mig, the Caucasus branch  of Megafon, and the local branches of VimpelCom and MTS limit access to the website that posted information on manufacturing explosives and explosive devices. 

A Provider Blocked Websites without Waiting for a Court Decision in the Tula Region

An inspection in March 2013 revealed that computers at Dubnenskaya and Voskresenskaya schools of the Dubnensky District in the Tula Region provided access to online pornography and to the text of Hitler's Mein Kampf. Based on the results of the inspection, the Dubnensky District Prosecutor’s Office went to court and demanded that access to these sites be blocked. On June 25, the case was dismissed due to the fact that the Internet provider Rostelecom had blocked the websites prior to the start of the proceedings. 

Prosecutors Demand Restrictions on Access to a Website for Posting Information on Manufacturing Explosives in Chechnya

On June 25, 2013, Office of the Public Prosecutor of the Chechen Republic reported that the Gudermessky District Prosecutor’s Office filed two court claims against the Internet provider Gumsnet. The prosecutors demand that the provider restrict access to the site that posts information on making explosives and explosive devices.

A Provider in the Moscow Region Blocked a Website without Waiting for a Court Decision

On June 26, 2013, the Lytkarino City Prosecutor’s Office in the Moscow Region announced that it had filed a lawsuit against the Internet provider Velcom-L, demanding restrictions on access to a website that contained the literature recognized as extremist.

The provider complied with the prosecutorial request without waiting for a court decision. The case was closed. 

A Court Ordered a School Principal to Install Content Filters in Chapaevsk

On June 26, 2013, it was announced that the Chapaevsk City Court the in Samara Region granted the claim of the Chapaevsk City Prosecutor’s Office demanding that the principal of School No. 8 in Chapaevsk install content filters on the school computers.

The claims were based on the results of a prosecutorial investigation. The investigation established that students had access to extremist and pornographic websites and to the VKontakte and Odnoklassniki social networks.

A Court Blocked Websites on the Home Manufacturing of Weapons in Pyatigorsk

On June 26, 2013, it was announced that the Pyatigorsk city court ordered the Internet provider KMVtelekom to restrict access to websites that advertised the sale of weapons and provided information on home manufacturing of explosives and weapons.

The website should be blocked by adding the IP-addresses of these websites to filters on the border routers.

Six MMM Sites Were Blocked in Ulyanovsk

On June 26, 2013, it became known that a court granted the claim of the Leninsky District Prosecutor's Office of Ulyanovsk seeking to block access to six websites of the MMM financial pyramid. The order to restrict access to these sites was addressed to the Internet provider ER-Telekom Holding.

A Court Ruled to Block Extremist Websites in Penza.

On June 26, 2013, the Penza Regional Prosecutor’s Office reported that the Oktyabrsky District Court of Penza granted the District Prosecutor’s Office claim and ordered to limit access to the websites that contained extremist materials.

An earlier prosecutorial investigation had identified publicly available websites that posted the texts of the books Krysoliudi by Orei Volot and Mein Kampf by Adolf Hitler; both books are included on the Federal List of Extremist Materials.

The Gazeta.ru Website Was Blocked in the Ulyanovsk and the Nizhny Novgorod Regions.

In the second half of June 2013, the users of Ulyanovsk Region discovered that their access to the websites of 14 popular publications, including Gazeta.ru and Komsomolskaya Pravda, was restricted. The local Prosecutor office branch blocked the websites in accordance with the decision of the Leninsky District Court of the Ulyanovsk Region. The court decided that the material on bribery, previously featured in these publications, "undermined the authority of the government."

The court failed to inform the newspapers about the decision.

On June 26. the provider restored access to the materials on the website. The Prosecutor’s Office explained that they had demanded restrictions on access to specific materials, published at Gazeta.ru, and not to the entire site. The Dzerzhinsk City Prosecutor’s Office in the Nizhny Novgorod Region also requested that the provider block Gazeta.ru materials.

School Administrators in the Sverdlovsk Region Receive Warnings for Insufficient Internet Filtering

On June 27, 2013, the Sverdlovsk Regional Prosecutor’s Office reported that the Chkalovsky District Prosecutor’s Office had found out that the computers of Yekaterinburg Gymnasium No. 39 provided access to extremist materials, despite being equipped with content filters.

Based on the results of the audit, the Prosecutor's Office issued a warning to the Principal of the Gymnasium. Similar violations were also identified in other schools, so the Prosecutor’s Office issued 21 additional warnings.

A Court Decision Blocks Online Casinos in Stavropol

On June 27, 2013, it became known that the Leninsky District Court granted the claim of the Stavropol City Prosecutor’s Office and ordered restrictions on access to 80 gambling websites. The order to restrict access to these sites was addressed to the Internet provider VimpelCom.

Prosecutors Issued a Warning to Providers in the Smolensk Region

On June 27, 2013, the Smolensk Regional Prosecutor's Office reported that the District Prosecutors’s Offices of the Zadneprovsky and the Promyshlennyi Districts of Smolensk together with the Gagarinskaya and the Safonovskaya Inter-District Prosecutor's Offices issued 12 motions to eliminate violations of the Law on combating extremism. The motions, warning about impermissibility of providing access to websites included on the Federal List of Extremist Materials, were issued to the following Internet providers: the local branches of MTS and Rostelecom, SmolenskSvyazStroy, MAN-Set, and the Russian Post (Pochta Rossii) 

The Ivanovo Regional Prosecutor’s Office Demands Restrictions on Access to the Financial Pyramid Websites. 

On June 28, 2013, the Ivanovo Regional Prosecutor’s Office reported that Teikovsky Inter-District Prosecutor’s Office filed 20 court claims seeking to block the sites of MMM and MMM-2012.

Prosecutors Demand That Students Be Shielded from Extremism and Pornography in Yaroslavl

On June 28, 2013, it was reported that the Kirov District Prosecutor’s Office in Yaroslavl issued motions, addressed to the administrations of schools No. 42 and No. 43, to eliminate the violations of the legislation on protecting children from negative information.

The prosecutorial inspection had revealed that, despite the presence of the Internet content filters, it was still possible to access websites of extremist and pornographic nature from the school computers.

The Prosecutor’s Office Sought to Block the Websites on Manufacturing Explosives in the Trans-Baikal Region

On June 28, 2013, the Trans-Baikal Regional Prosecutor’s Office issued a motion, addressed to the Internet provider ChitaTechEnergo, demanding restrictions on access to a number of sites.

The prosecutorial inspection identified publicly available websites with information on manufacturing and using explosives.

A Provider Receives a Warning for a Book by Mussolini in the Ivanovo Region

On June 17, 2013, the Ivanovo Regional Prosecutor’s Office reported that the Rodnikovsky District Prosecutor’s Office issued a motion, addressed to the administration of the Internet provider IRTEK, to eliminate violations of the law.

The motion was based on the results of the prosecutorial investigation, which found two publicly accessible sites, containing the texts of Benito Mussolini's Memoirs 1942-1943 and The Doctrine of Fascism.

Providers Received a Warning for Providing Access to Extremist Materials in the Khabarovsk Region and the Jewish Autonomous District

On June 18, 2013, the Jewish Autonomous Regional Prosecutor’s Office announced that the Khabarovsk branch of MTS and Birobidzhan branch of VimpelCom received motions for non-compliance with the law.

The motions were based on the results of the prosecutorial investigation, which had identified materials, legally recognized as extremist, to be publicly available online. 

Access to Extremist Websites Blocked in Kemerovo

On June 18, 2013, it became known that a court granted the claim by the Zavodskoy District Prosecutor’s Office of the Kemerovo Region against an Internet provider, demanding that the provider restrict access to websites with information included in Federal List of Extremist Materials.

A Court Ordered the ISP to Block Gambling Websites in Bryansk

On June 19, 2013, the Bryansk Regional Prosecutor’s Office reported that the Soviet District Court granted the claim of Fokinsky District Prosecutor’s Office against the Internet provider Mobilnye TeleSystemy. The Prosecutor’s Office demanded restrictions on access to seven gambling websites. Now the provider is obligated to block the sites.

Prosecutors Successfully Blocked Websites Promoting Illegal Drugs in Togliatti

On June 20, 2013, the Samara Regional Prosecutor’s Office reported that Avtozavodsky District Prosecutor’s Office in Togliatti filed 54 claims against the Internet providers AIST, Infolada, Infopak, Letkom-2, Togliatti Telecom and Aido Telecom, demanding that they block websites that promoted use and production of illegal drugs. 13 of these claims have already been satisfied.

Access to the Website That Posted an Extremist Article Was Blocked in Blagoveshchensk

On June 20, 2013, the Blagoveshchensk City Court granted the petition of the Blagoveshchensk District Prosecutor’s Office against the Amur Branch of Rostelecom. Upon request of the Prosecutor’s Office, the court ordered the ISP to block a site containing the article, “The Mujahideen statement upon arrival of new bandit groups - FSB and MVD - to Dagestan,” included on the Federal List of Extremist Materials.

Prosecutors Demand Restrictions on Extremist Webs Sites in Samara

On June 21, 2013, the Samara Regional Prosecutor’s Office announced that the Zheleznodorozhny District Prosecutor’s Office of Samara filed 26 court claims against the Internet providers Intertelekom.ru, Avantel, and Samara Lan, demanding that they restrict access to a number of websites. According to the prosecutors, these sites contain materials aimed at inciting religious and racial hatred and propaganda of fascism. 

A Prosecutor’s Office Shielded Students from the Information on Manufacturing Explosives in the Novgorod Region

On June 21, 2013, the Novgorod Regional Prosecutor’s Office reported that, on May 29, the Batetsky District Prosecutor's Office issued a motion to eliminate violations of anti-terrorism legislation, addressed to the Chairman of the Education Committee of the District Administration.

The motion was based on the results of a prosecutorial investigation, according to which the computers in Gorodnia Village Secondary School provided public access to websites with information on manufacturing explosives. After the intervention of the Prosecutor's Office access to these websites was blocked.

A Court Ordered the Internet Provider to Restrict Access to Gambling Websites in Stavropol,

On June 21, 2013, it was reported that the Leninsky District Court granted the petition of the Stavropol District Prosecutor’s Office, demanding restrictions on access to 80 sites involved in illegal gambling activities. The Prosecutor’s Office supervises the execution of the judgment.

Websites on Manufacturing Weapons Are Blocked by a Court Decision in Pyatigorsk

On June 22, 2013, it was announced that the Pyatigorsk City Court granted the claim of the Pyatigorsk City Prosecutor’s Office against the Internet provider KMVtelekom. The Prosecutors demanded restrictions on access to a number of websites containing information on manufacturing weapons.

The State Duma Adopted the Copyright Protection Bill in the Second and Third Readings

On June 21, 2013, State Duma adopted in the second and third readings the bill on the protection of copyright in film, television and video productions.

Under this bill, a website containing illegal content can be blocked without waiting for a court judgment, if the owner of the site fails to remove the controversial content after Roskomnadzor’s warning.

Supposedly, blocking will be done by IP-address. The law enters into force on 1 August 2013.

School Authorities Are Penalized for Poor-Quality Internet Content Filters in the Saratov Region

On June 10, 2013, it was reported that the Turkovsky District Prosecutor’s Office of the Saratov Region issued motions to eliminate violations of the law to the principals of 10 schools in the district. The motions were based on the results of an inspection, which found that the existing schools content filtration system did not fully prevent student access to websites with extremist materials.

As a result of the prosecutorial motions, 18 officials faced administrative responsibility.

The Langepas City Prosecutors Demand Restrictions on Access to Websites that Promote Drugs

On June 10, 2013, The Khanty-Mansi Autonomous District Prosecutor’s Office reported that the Langepas City Prosecutor’s Office filed a lawsuit against Rostelecom. The Prosecutor’s Office demanded that the provider block websites posting information about the use and manufacture of illegal drugs.

Bailiffs Seek to Block Websites in the Kemerovo Region

On June 10, 2013, it was reported that the bailiffs of the Belovsky District of the Kemerovo Region ordered an ISP to comply with the court decision and block the websites that contained extremist material. In case of non-compliance, the provider will be fined.

Courts ordered Internet Providers to Block Sites with Materials by Falun Gong and L. Ron Habbard in Krasnodar

On June 13, 2013, the Krasnodar Regional Prosecutor’s Office reported that the Leninsky District Court and the Oktyabrsky District Court of Krasnodar granted eight claims of the City Prosecutor's Office against the following Internet providers: Astarta, Kubintersvyaz, Prestizh-Internet, Kuban State University, VimpelCom, Megafon, MTS, and Kubtelecom.

The Prosecutors demanded restrictions on access to the sites that published the texts of Zhuan Falun book by Li Hongzhi, Report into Allegations of Organ Harvesting of Falun Gong Practitioners in China (Otchet of proverke utverzhdenii ob izvlechenii organov u posledovatelei Falungun v Kitae)" brochure by David Matas and David Kilgour and PTS/SP Course Lectures by L. Ron Habbard. All these materials had been previously legally recognized as extremist.

The Novokyibishevsk City Prosecutor’s Office Seeks to Block Extremist Websites

On June 13, 2013, the Samara Regional Prosecutor’s Office announced that the Novokyibishevsk City Prosecutor’s Office filed 20 claims against the Internet providers Progress-IT, TesKomVolga, MIRS, and NeksTellSamara.

The prosecutors demand restrictions on access to websites containing information included in the Federal List of Extremist Materials. The Novokuibyshev City Court has already granted 8 out of 20 claims.

A Court Ordered a Provider to Block Gambling Websites in Nyagan

On June 14, 2013, it was reported that a court granted the claim of the Nyagan Town Prosecutor’s Office and demanded restrictions on access to gambling websites. The court ordered the Internet provider Rostelecom to block the sites.

Prosecutors Seek to Block Websites on Bribery In Ulyanovsk,

On June 14, 2013, it was reported that the Zasviyazhskiy District Prosecutor’s Office of Ulyanovsk filed a court claim against the Internet providers DARS-IP and Telekom.ru. Prosecutor demands that the providers block several sites with information on methods of giving bribes. Specifically, the sites are: 7ba.ru, babyplan.ru, daslife, bbcont, volgograd.

The Law on Combating Piracy Is Adopted in the First Reading

On June 14, 2013, the Russian State Duma adopted in the first reading the draft law on the copyright protection on the Internet.

Under the bill, the owner can go to court with the request to restrict access to illegal content. The website owners or the provider have an obligation to block the site that is hosting the material.

The document stipulates that copyright disputes must be submitted to the Moscow City Court.

The VKontakte Administration Is Deleting Audio Files

On June 14, 2013, it became known that the administration of the social network VKontakte, in anticipation of the anti-piracy bill being considered by the State Duma, started deleting its music content.

Users, who download the audio files personally, rather than copying them from another person, received messages from the network administration demanding that they remove the material as infringing on copyright. 

A Court in Grozny Blocked Websites with Information on Manufacturing Explosive Devices

On May 29, 2013, Leninsky district of Grozny court granted the claim of the Republican Prosecutor’s Office demanding restrictions on access to websites featuring information about manufacturing of improvised explosive devices.

A Virtual Casino Site Blocked by Court Decision in Tyumen

On June 3, 2013, the Tyumen Regional Prosecutor’s Office reported that the Kalininsky District Court granted the claim of the Tyumen City Prosecutor’s Office demanding restrictions on access to a gambling website.

The Chechnya Republican Prosecutor’s Office seeks to block Belyi Bukvar

On June 4, 2013, the Chechnya Republican Prosecutor’s Office reported on filing a lawsuit against the following Internet providers: Vainakh Telecom, Elektrosviaz’ Federal State Unitary Enterprise in the Chechen Republic, Chechenskaya Sotovaya Svyaz, Mig, the Caucasus branch  of Megafon, and the local branches of VimpelCom and MTS. The prosecutors demand that the providers limit access to the website containing the White Primer (Belyi Bukvar’), included on the Federal List of Extremist Materials.

The Chechnya Republican Prosecutor’s Office Demands Restrictions on Access to the Website on Manufacturing Explosives

On June 4, 2013, the Chechnya Republican Prosecutor’s Office  reported on filing a claim against the following Internet providers: Vainakh Telecom, Elektrosviaz’ Federal State Unitary Enterprise in the Chechen Republic, Chechenskaya Sotovaya Svyaz, Mig, the Caucasus branch  of Megafon, and the local branches of VimpelCom and MTS. The prosecutors demand that the providers limit access to two websites featuring information on manufacturing explosives at home.

A Court Blocked the Website with Information on Manufacturing Explosives in Samara.

On June 4, 2013, the Kirov District Court of Samara granted the District Prosecutor’s claim to restrict access to a website with Information on manufacturing improvised explosive devices.

Prosecutors Seek to Block the "Mujahedeen" Website in the Krasnodar Region

On 5 June 2013, the Krasnodar Regional Prosecutor’s Office reported that, in the course of an audit, it found “The official website of the Mujahideen of United Vilayat of Kabarda, Balkaria and Karachai” included on the Federal List of Extremist Materials, to be publicly accessible. The Starominskiy District Prosecutors Office filed a court claim requesting that the Internet provider Beeline limit access to this site.

A Prosecutor’s Office Requests Access Restriction to “The Innocence of Muslims” Video in Moscow

On June 5, 2013, it was reported that the Presnenskaya Inter-District Prosecutor’s Office in Moscow filed a claim in the Basmanny District Court against the Internet provider Taskom. The prosecutors demand restrictions on access to the website featuring The Innocence of Muslims Video, included on the Federal List of Extremist Materials.

Bailiffs Convinced a Provider to Block Several Websites in the Komi Republic.

On June 6, 2013, it was reported that the Syktyvkar City Court granted the claim of the city Prosecutor’s Office, which demanded restrictions on access to the following websites: www. islamdin.biz (“The official website of the Mujahideen of United Vilayat of Kabarda, Balkaria and Karachai"), www.3a ðóñb.livejornal.com and www.pat-livejornal.com.

The court ordered the Internet provider Parma-Inform to block these sites, but the company failed to comply in a timely fashion.

The Bailiff Service notified the company that the enforcement proceedings were being initiated, and warned of possible criminal liability for non-compliance with the court’s decision. Subsequently, the provider has blocked the websites.

Four MMM Sites Were Blocked in Karelia,

On June 6, 2013, the Karelia Republican Prosecutor’s Office reported that the Petrozavodsk City Court had granted the claim of the Petrozavodsk City Prosecutor’s Office demanding that an ISP block four MMM sites. The court's decision has entered into force.

 

A Draft Bill on Blocking Websites with Pirated Content Introduced in the State Duma

On June 6, 2013, a bill, aimed at blocking access to websites with pirated content, was introduced in the State Duma. The authors of the document - Helen Drapeko (The Just Russia/Spravedlivaya Rossiia), Vladimir Bortko (CPRF), Maria Maksakova-Igenbergs (The United Russia) suggested adding the corresponding amendments to the Civil Code.

In particular, the amendments provide for conditions, under which the Internet providers are released from liability for infringement on the intellectual property rights. In this case, the amendments introduce the norm, according to which the information that violates these rights should be removed, or access to it should be restricted. 

A Court Fined the Internet Provider for Distributing Extremist Materials in the Chuvash Republic

On June 3, 2013, the Chuvash Republican Prosecutor’s Office reported that the Novocheboksarsk City Court found the head of a local Internet provider company guilty under the Administrative Code Article 20.29 (production and distribution of extremist materials) and sentenced him to a fine of 2,000 rubles.

The provider was fined for his failure to block access to websites that posted extremist materials. The decision has not yet entered into force. 

A Provider Was Fined in the Moscow Region

On June 4, 2013, it was announced that the Arbitration Court of the Moscow Region sentenced the Internet provider Tefo to a fine of 30 thousand rubles for failing to block access to websites that featured prohibited materials.

The company attempted to appeal the decision, but the appellate court confirmed the decision of the Arbitration Court of the Moscow Region.

Êîìåíòàðèåâ: 0

A Chronicle of Russian Internet Filtering / May 2013

The Russian authorities came out with two new categories of websites be banned in May: on manufacturing explosive devices and bribery. If the first could reflect the reaction of the authorities to the Boston bombings, the letter surely mirrors the problems of the society in Russia.

Extremism

The Prosecutor in the Sverdlovsk Region Demands Restrictions on Access to a Hizb ut-Tahrir Web Site.

On 27 May 2013, the Sverdlovsk Regional Prosecutor's Office reported that the Prigorodny District Prosecutor’s Office filed a claim against the local branch of the Internet provider Rostelecom demanding that the Web site containing Hizb ut-Tahrir materials be blocked.

A Prosecutor’s Office Succeeded in Blocking Three Web Sites

On May 28, 2013, it was reported that Ykhta City Prosecutor’s Office filed a lawsuit against four largest Internet providers in the region: GSP, Maxim, Rostelecom, and SeverTransTeleCom. The plaintiff demanded that providers limit access to three sites, which contained materials aimed at propaganda of war and incitement to racial or religious hatred. The court granted the claim.

A Khabarovsk Court Blocks Access to a Web Site for Publishing an Extremist Film

At the end of May 2013, it became known that the Kirov District Prosecutor’s Office of Khabarovsk had filed a claim in the Central District Court against the Internet provider TransTelecom-DV, requesting restrictions on access to the Web site http://www.u-tube.ru for posting The Eternal Jew video. The video is included on the Federal List of Extremist Materials. The court granted the Prosecutor's Office request. 

Samara Prosecutors Demand Restrictions on Hizb ut-Tahrir Web Sites

On May 30, 2013, the Samara Regional Prosecutor's Office reported that the Samara City Prosecutor's Office filed 26 claims against local ISPs with the Oktyabrsky District Federal Court. The Prosecutor’s Office demands that two Hizb ut-Tahrir sites be blocked. 

At the Prosecutor’s Office Request Access to the Web Site That Published Hitler's Book Was Blocked in the Mari El Republic

On May 21, 2013, the Yoshkar-Ola City Court upheld the claims of the Republican Prosecutor’s Office seeking to limit access to a Web site with extremist material.

By the court decision, the branch of the Internet provider Mobilnye TeleSystemy were ordered to block the Web site that published the books Mein Kampf by Hitler and Desionizatsiya by V.Emelyanov, as well as the Eternal Jew video and the leaflets of Wehrmacht, the Russian Liberation Army (Russkaia Osvoboditel’naia Armiia, ROA), the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (Ukrainskaia Povstancheskaia Armiia, UPA) and some other Nazi units. All of these materials were legally recognized as extremist.

Access to Extremist Web Sites Is Blocked in the Kurgan Region

On 22 May 2013, the Kurgan Regional Prosecutor’s Office reported that the Belozersky District Prosecutor’s Office filed a court claim against the local branch of the Internet provider Rostelecom seeking to limit access to a Web site. In the course of a prosecutorial inspection it had been found that the site featured publications included on the Federal List of Extremist Materials, which contained calls to terrorist activity and the incitement of hatred. The court granted the request of the Prosecutor’s Office. The decision has entered into force.

A Court in the Ulyanovsk Region ordered ISPs to Block Access to Web Sites with Extremist Materials

On May 22, 2013, it was reported that Barishsky District Prosecutor’s Office of the Ulyanovsk Region initiated a lawsuit against the regional branch of the Internet provider Rostelecom, demanding restrictions on access to several sites.

A prosecutorial inspection identified the publicly accessible websites circassia.forumieren, ansardin.wordpress, angusht, shamilonline and other sites that publish materials containing propaganda of inferiority of citizens on the basis of their nationality and religion. The court granted the claim in full.

At the Request of Prosecutors, a Web Site with Nazi Memorabilia Is Blocked in Kirov

On May 8, 2013, the Kirov Regional Prosecutor’s Office reported that the court granted the claim of the Kirov Prosecutor’s Office, which requested that the local branch of the Internet provider MTS block access to the Web site that sold the Nazi Germany awards. The court's decision has entered into force. 

A Provider Blocked the Kavkaz-Center Web Site in the Moscow Region after the Involvement of the Prosecutor’s Office

On May 17, 2013, it became known that the Pushkino City Prosecutor’s Office of Moscow Region, based on the results of its audit of the ISP compliance with the legislation on combating extremist activity, issued a motion to eliminate violations addressed to the administration of the Internet provider Vintem-Telecom. The audit revealed that the provider failed to restrict access to the Kavkaz-Center website. As a result of the measures taken thereof, the responsible parties faced disciplinary charges; access to the Web site has been restricted.

At the Request of Prosecutors, the Internet Provider Blocked a Web Site with Extremist Literature in the Moscow Region

On May 24, 2013, the Moscow Regional Prosecutor’s Office announced that the Shakhovsky District Prosecutor’s Office filed a court claim seeking to block access to the Web site that contained extremist materials. The Internet provider Tekhnologii Domovykh Setei + voluntarily complied with the request of the Prosecutor’s Office. The case has been dismissed.

The Murmansk City Prosecutor’s Office Demands Restrictions on Access to Extremist Materials

On May 14, 2013, it became known that the Murmansk City Prosecutor’s Office filed a claim with the Oktyabrskii Court of Murmansk demanding that the regional branch of the Internet provider Rostelecom  restrict user access to the websites with extremist materials.

According to a previously conducted inspection, the Internet subscribers in the cities of Snezhnogorsk, Gadzhievo and Polarny had access to films, articles and leaflets inciting violence based on ethnic and religious principles and calling for participation in extremist organizations. 

Education and schools, public areas

The Moscow Regional Prosecutor's Office Finds Faults in the Educational Center Content Filtering System

On May 31, 2013, the Moscow Regional Prosecutor's Office reported that a number of irregularities had been found in the course of an inspection of Science. Education. Profession center of continuing education. In particular, the content filtering system, installed on the instructional computers, failed to restrict access to websites with information harmful to children. The Prosecutor's Office issued a motion to eliminate violations of the law addressed to the Head of the Center.

District Prosecutors Filed a Lawsuit against the Owner of a Computer Lounge in the Lipetsk Region

On May 20, 2013, the Prosecutor’s Office of the Lipetsk Region reported that visitors to the ENERGY computer lounge in the town of Chaplygin, despite the installed content filters,

 had access to extremist materials and to Web sites that advertised smoking mixtures and illegal substances. The District Prosecutor’s Office initiated a lawsuit against the owner of the lounge under Part 2 of the Administrative Code Article 6.17 (violation of Russian legislation on protecting children from information harmful to their health and (or) development). The case was referred to the magistrate's court.

Prosecutors Demanded That the Owner of the Computer Lounge Block Access to Extremist Materials in the Altai Republic

On May 22, 2013, it was reported that the Ust-Kan District Prosecutor’s Office of the Altai Republic filed a lawsuit against the computer lounge owner E. Kuldin.

A prosecutorial inspection found that the computers in the lounge provided access to Web sites containing extremist material in violation of the legislation on protecting children from information harmful to their health and development. The Prosecutor’s Office demanded that the owner eliminate the violation. The court granted the request of the Prosecutor’s Office.

Prosecutors Demanded that the Rector of the University Keep Students Away from Prohibited Web Sites

On May 23, 2013, it was reported that the Kemerovo Regional Prosecutor’s Office had found that visitors to the electronic reading room of the Kemerovo State University of Culture and Arts (Kemerovskii gosudarstvennyi universitet kul’tury i iskusstva, KemGUKI) had access to banned Web sites, in particular, to the sites that contained materials inciting hatred on ethnic grounds. A motion to eliminate the violations of the law was sent to the Rector of KemGUKI.

The Rostov Regional Prosecutor’s Office Shielded College Students from Extremism

On May 23, 2013, the Rostov Regional Prosecutor’s Office reported that students of the Gukovsky branch of Academician P. Stepanov Shakhtinskii Regional College of Fuel and Energy (Shakhtinskii regionalnyi kolledzh topliva i energetiki imeni akademika P. Stepanova) had access to extremist texts, video and audio materials via computers installed in its library and the computer laboratory.

The Prosecutor’s Office went to court demanding that the College administration install content filters. The administration complied with the prosecutorial request.

Prosecutors Seek to Protect School Children from Harmful Information in the Nizhny Novgorod Region

On May 23, 2013, it was reported that the Knyagininskii District Prosecutor’s Office of Nizhny Novgorod region discovered that students of Knyaginino Secondary Schools No. 1 and No. 2, and students of the Vozrozhdenie Secondary School were able to access Web sites with undesirable information via their school computers. The Internet filters were not installed on the school computers causing students to have access to "information that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the educational process, and detrimental to the moral and spiritual development of minors." Based on the audit results, four motions to eliminate the violations were issued.

The Tuymazinsky Interdistrict Prosecutor’s Office Demands That Providers Install Content Filters in Educational Institutions and a Library

On May 11, 2013, it was announced that the Tuymazinsky Interdistrict Prosecutor's Office issued a motion about legal violations addressed to the Administration of the Inter-settlement Central Library, a branch of the Ufa State Aviation Technical University (Ufimskii gosudarstvennyi aviatsionnyi tekhnicheskii universitet), a medical college and a college of education. The Prosecutor's Office demands that content filtering systems be installed.

An audit had revealed that students and readers had access to sites containing extremist information, pornographic materials and information on smoking blends.

The Salekhard City Prosecutor’s Office Protected Students from Harmful Information

On May 24, 2013, it was reported that the Salekhard City Prosecutor’s Office in the course of an audit found that, despite the existing content filters, students of the city's schools No. 2 and No. 4, Gymnasium No. 1, the Secondary School with In-depth Study of Several Subjects and the Yamal Polar Agro-Economic Technical School had access to sites with harmful information. Specifically, Web sites with obscene language, pornography, violence, and anti-Semitic material were found to be publicly accessible.

Based on the results of the audit, the Prosecutor’s Office issued five motions addressed to the administration of the educational institutions. The prosecutorial demands have been met; the violations have been eliminated.

A Prosecutor Demands that School Children Be Protected from Smoking Blends Ads

On 23 May 2013, the Kurgan Regional Prosecutor’s Office reported that students of the Kislyansk Secondary School and three other schools in Yurgamyshsky District had access to the Web sites that advertized smoking blends. The District Prosecutor issued motions to the schools’ administrators demanding that they eliminate the detected violations and bring charges against the responsible parties.

Langepas Prosecutors Seek to Shield Students from Online Extremism

On May 23, 2013, the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous District Prosecutor’s Office reported that the prosecutorial audit in Langepas had found that, despite content filters installed in the computer labs, students in the majority of the city schools had unfettered access to Web sites containing extremist materials.

Based on the results of the audit, the Langepas Prosecutor’s Office filed a claim against the administration of several schools demanding restrictions on student access to these dangerous Web sites.

A Prosecutor’s Office is Concerned about Access of Nizhny Novgorod Students to Web Sites with Information on Illegal Drugs

On May 13, 2013, it became known that the prosecutorial audit had revealed a number of violations in School No. 3 and School No. 14 of Nizhny Novgorod. In particular, students could access Web sites with information on illegal drug use. The Prosecutor’s Office initiated administrative cases, related to the violations of the laws.

Gambling and online casinos

A Samara Court Issued a Decision to Block Gambling Sites

On May 27, 2013, the Kirovsky District Court of Samara granted five claims of the District Prosecutor and ordered to restrict access to a number of gambling web sites. The court's decision pertains to the Internet providers located on the territory of the Kirov District or providing telecommunications services in the Region. 

Belgorod Prosecutors Fight against Gambling

On May 30, 2013, the Belgorod Regional Prosecutor's Office reported that the prosecutorial audit had identified unfettered access to gambling web sites in the agricultural vocational school of the Krasnogvardeisky District and in two secondary schools of Chernyansky District.

Based on the results of the audit, the Prosecutor's Office filed claims in courts in order to block these sites. The heads of the educational institutions received the motions to eliminate the violations of the law. 

An Online Casino Is Blocked in the Orenburg Region

On May 30, 2013, it became known that the Sorochinsk Prosecutor's Office in the Orenburg Region discovered that users of an Internet Club had access to a virtual casino Web site. The Prosecutors Office filed court claims in order to close down the Internet Club and block the online casino. The Leninsky District Court granted the claim.

219 Gambling Web Sites Were Banned in St. Petersburg,

On May 31, 2013, The St. Petersburg City Prosecutor's Office reported that the Oktyabrsky District Court granted the City Prosecutor's claim and banned 219 gambling Web sites.

MGER Decided to Participate in Website Blocking

On May 31, 2013, it was reported that that the Young Guard of United Russia (Molodaia Gvardiia Edinoi Rossii, MGER) had developed a special system to immediately block a large group of Web sites with inappropriate content, according to parameters provided. The launch of the search program that identifies web sites on suicide, drugs, child pornography and terrorist activity is expected in late June. Once the targeted sites are found, the program will automatically notify Roscomnadzor and the Ministry of Justice.

A Court Order Blocked Online Casinos in Samara,

On May 21, 2013, the Kirov District Court of Samara granted 10 claims of the District Prosecutor’s Office seeking to block gambling Web sites. The court's decision applies to service providers who are located in the district or provide internet connection in the region.

Sergei Mavrodi’s Web Sites Are Blocked in Omsk

On May 22, 2013, it was reported that, upon request from the Prosecutor’s Office, two Omsk providers restricted access to the Web sites “MMM-2011” and “MMM-2012”.

Earlier, the Prosecutor’s Office of the Soviet district had filed a lawsuit against the KOMMED-Info company, demanding that the provider block the financial pyramid scheme’s web site. The provider voluntarily complied with the request of the Prosecutor’s Office; the case was dismissed. The Leninsky District Prosecutor's Office in Omsk filed a similar claim against the IP Eremenko. The court granted the claim of the Prosecutor’s Office.

 Online Casinos Were Blocked at the Request of the Petrozavodsk Prosecutor’s Office

On May 16, 2013, the Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Karelia reported that Petrozavodsk City Prosecutor’s Office filed a court claim seeking to limit access to Web sites with gambling in Petrozavodsk and Sortavala. The Internet provider complied with the the Prosecutor’s Office request prior to adjudication.

Access to 56 Gambling Web Sites Were Blocked In Ivanovo

On May 16, 2013, the Ivanovo Regional Prosecutor’s Office reported that the Frunzensky District Prosecutor’s Office of Ivanovo, on the basis of its audit results, submitted court claims against 11 Internet providers. The prosecutors demanded restrictions on access to 56 gambling Web sites. The providers voluntarily complied with the requests of the Prosecutor’s Office. 

Prosecutor’s Office Succeeded in Blocking the MMM Web Sites in the Ulyanovsk Region

On May 16, 2013, it was reported that Novomalyklinsky District Prosecutor’s Office of Ulyanovsk region went to court demanding restrictions on access to Web sites of the MMM financial pyramid scheme (sergey-mavrodi.com, mavrodi-mmm-2011, sergey-mavrodi.ms). The court granted the claims of the Prosecutor’s Office. Access to the sites has been blocked.

A Court Blocked Access to Online Casinos in Samara

On May 6, 2013, the Kirov District Court of Samara granted four claims of the Kirov District Prosecutor’s Office aimed at restricting access to gambling Web sites. The court ordered the ISPs to restrict access to these sites.

The “MMM-2012” Web Site is Blocked at the Prosecutor’s Office Request in Ivanovo

On May 23, 2013, the Ivanovo Regional Prosecutor’s Office reported that the Frunzensky District Prosecutor’s Office of the city of Ivanovo had filed a lawsuit against the Internet provider V. Lenin Ivanovo State Energy University (Ivanovskii gosudarstvennyi energeticheskii universitet im. V. I. Lenina). The Prosecutor’s Office demanded restrictions on access to the “MMM-2012” site. The Provider complied with the requirements of the prosecution prior to adjudication.

The Nizhnevartovsk Prosecutor's Office Succeeded in Blocking Gambling Web Sites

On May 15, 2013,  the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous District Prosecutor’s Office reported that the Nizhnevartovsk City Prosecutor’s Office filed a claim with the City Court demanding that the Internet provider Metroset limit access to a number of gambling Web sites.

The Provider complied with the prosecutorial demands prior to the court decision.

Access to Gambling Web sites and Sites Advertising MMM Are Blocked in the Krasnoyarsk Region

On May 14, 2013, it was reported that the Krasnoyarsk Regional Prosecutor's Office had issued several motions to the Internet providers regarding access to gambling Web sites and Web sites advertising the “MMM-2012” pyramid scheme. In compliance with the prosecutorial request, the Internet providers Right Side + and Orion Telecom blocked access to eight sites. There was no court judgment in this case.

Rostelecom Blocked Online Poker Web Sites

On May 17, 2013, it was reported that some of the largest poker Web sites had been added to the Register of Banned Sites. The Internet provider Rostelecom kept PokerStars, FullTiltPoker, PartyPoker, and several other sites blocked for several hours.

A Samara Court Limited Access to Gambling Web Sites

On May 15, 2013, the Samara District Prosecutor's Office reported that, on 29 April 2013, the Kirov District Court of Samara granted 5 claims for blocking access to gambling Web sites. The court's decision applies to the Internet service providers located on the territory of the Kirov district or providing Internet connection services in the region.

Bomb making

The Chechnya Republican Prosecutor's Office Demands that Two Web Sites with Information on Manufacturing Explosives Be Blocked

On May 29, 2013, it was reported that the Chechen Republic Prosecutor's Office had filed a two claims against the Internet provider Vainakh Telecom. The prosecutors demand restrictions on access to two sites that contain description of the technology and instructions for making nitroglycerin and cyclonite at home. 

A Prosecutor's Office Succeeded in Blocking Web Sites with Bomb-making Instructions in Bryansk

On May 20, 2013, the Bryansk Regional Prosecutor's Office reported that the Volodarsky District Prosecutor's Office had succeeded in blocking a number of Web sites that inform the users about the ways to make explosive devices.

This Prosecutor’s Office, back in 2011, filed a claim with the Zheleznodorozhny District Court of Ryazan against the Internet provider Svyaztransneft demanding termination of access to such Web sites, but the court dismissed the claim. The Volodarsky District Prosecutor's Office appealed the decision, but, once again, its claim was rejected.

Subsequently, the General Prosecutor's Office sent a cassation appeal to the Supreme Court, arguing that the courts of first and second instance have ruled with violations. The Supreme Court sent the case back to the Zheleznodorozhny District Court of Ryazan for a new trial. In the course of the trial, the provider agreed to block the sites, and the lawsuit was withdrawn.

The Kirov City Prosecutor’s Office Demands Restrictions on Access to Web Sites That Contain Instructions on Making Explosives

On May 20, 2013, the Kirov City Prosecutor’s Office filed a claim with the Pervomaisky District Court requesting that access to the Web sites containing information about the manufacture of home-explosives and explosive devices be blocked. These sites had been identified as publicly accessible in the course of a prosecutorial audit.

The Biysk City Prosecutor’s Office Seeks to Block the Web Site

On May 22, 2013, it was reported that the Biysk City Prosecutor’s Office filed four claims with the City Court against the Internet providers requesting restrictions on access to a Web site that described the process of making an improvised explosive device.

Prosecutors in the Stavropol Region Demand that Web Sites with Information on Weapons Manufacturing Be Recognized as Extremist

On May 8, 2013, the Stavropol Regional Prosecutor’s Office reported that the Prosecutor’s Offices of Alexandrovsky, Kochubeevsky, Kursky, Neftekumsky, and Sovetsky Districts, the City Prosecutor’s Offices of Essentuky and Kislovodsk, and the Prosecutor’s Offices of Promyshlennyi and Oktyabrsky Districts of Stavropol, in the course of their audit, had identified a number of websites with information about home manufacturing of weapons.

Based on the results of the inspection, the Prosecutor’s Offices filed over 20 court claims seeking to recognize the materials contained on these Web sites as extremist and to restrict access to the sites.

The Chechnya Republican Prosecutor’s Office Demands Restrictions on Access to Web Sites That Contain Information on Manufacturing Explosives

On May 17, 2013, the Chechnya Republican Prosecutor’s Office announced that two court claims had been filed against Vainakh Telecom demanding that the Internet provider limit access to Web sites with instructions on home manufacturing nitroglycerin and cyclonite. The lawsuits are pending.

The Chechnya Republican Prosecutor’s Office Seeks to Block the Web Site with Information on Manufacturing an Explosive Device

On April 29, 2013, the Chechnya Republican Prosecutor’s Office filed two court claims against the Internet provider Vainakh Telecom. According to the prosecutors, the ISP provides access to two Web sites that contain instructions for making explosive devices. The prosecutors demand that the provider be ordered to block the sites.

Drugs

Websites That Promote Illegal Drugs Were Blocked in Ufa

On May 15, 2013, it was reported that the Kirov District Prosecutor's Office of Ufa, in the course of an audit, identified 10 publicly accessible Web sites with information about the manufacture and sale of illegal drugs.

Based on the audit results, the Prosecutor's Office filed 30 court claims against the Internet providers TTK-Center, BashTelekomServis, and Cellular Bashkortostan demanding restrictions on access to these sites. The court granted the claims of the Prosecutor’s Office. The decision has entered into force.

The Government of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District Seeks to Block Web Sites That Promote Illegal Drugs

On May 24, 2013, during the law and order coordination meeting Governor of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District Dmitry Kobylkin instructed the relevant departments of the regional government to establish cooperation with Internet service providers. This cooperation should be aimed at blocking Web sites involved in drug distribution. 

Bribery

Prosecutors Demand Restrictions on Access to Web Sites on Bribery in the Samara Region

On May 30, 2013, the Samara Regional Prosecutor's Office reported that the Novokuibyshevsk City Prosecutor’s Office had submitted 12 court claims demanding access restrictions on the Web sites that posted information on methods of giving a bribe.

Web Sites on Bribery Were Blocked by the Court Decision in Ulyanovsk

On May 24, 2013, it became known that the court granted the petition of the Ulyanovsk Regional Prosecutor’s Office to block the sites that provided information about methods of bribery and evasion of responsibility. The sites in question are cripo.com, glavnoe, aloepole, krasjob, daslife, scandalim, bbcont, homearchive, tvoemnenie, posovesti and a few more.

A Court Blocked Access to the Web Sites on Bribery on the Yamal Peninsula

On May 16, 2013, it was announced that the Salekhard City Court granted the petition of the Muravlenko City Prosecutor's Office and ordered Rostelecom to restrict access to several Web sites with information on methods of giving a bribe. An earlier prosecutorial audit had identified these sites as publicly assessable.

Prosecutors Demand Restrictions on Access to Web Sites on Bribery in Kogalym

On May 7, 2013, the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous District Prosecutor’s Office reported that the Kogalym City Prosecutors Office had filed a court claim demanding that the regional branch of Rostelecom and the Internet provider Intermir block access to several Web sites. The prosecutorial inspection had found information on methods of giving a bribe on these Web sites. 

And the rest…

A Court Decision Blocks Web Sites with Information about Illegal Drugs in the Saratov Region

On May 29, 2013, it was reported that the Kirovsky District Prosecutor’s Office of the Saratov Region filed a lawsuit demanding that the Internet Provider Fannet-Telecom limit access to multiple Web sites that published information on the manufacture and sale of illegal drugs.

The court granted the petition of the Prosecutor’s Office.

A Court Banned the “Doghunter” Site in the Sverdlovsk Region

On 30 May 2013, the Sverdlovsk Regional Prosecutor's Office reported that the Sukhoi Log City Court had granted the claim of the City Prosecutor's Office against the Internet provider Uralskiie Seti. The Prosecutor’s Office requested restrictions on access to the Vreditelyam.net Web site organized by “doghunters” (volunteer exterminators of dogs).

The materials on this website have been recognized as banned for distribution. The decision by the Sukhoi Log City Court was forwarded to the Ural Federal District Office of Roscomnadzor in order to add the site to the Unified Register of Banned Sites.

A Web Site Selling Stationery with the State Coat of Arms is Blocked at the Request of the Prosecutor’s Office in Tolyatti

On May 14, 2013, it was reported that the General Prosecutor's Office of the Russian Federation, assisted by the Prosecutor’s Offices of the Samara Region, Moscow and St. Petersburg, reviewed the facts of illegal use of the national coat of arms.

The audit revealed a Web Site of a Tolyatti woman entrepreneur, who traded in stationery and stamps with the image of the Russian coat of arms.

Based on the audit results, the Tolyatti City Prosecutor’s Office filed a claim with the Tsentralnyi District Federal Court of Tolyatti demanding that the state coat of arms be removed from the site and that the entrepreneur stop the trade in products featuring the coat of arms.

The head of the ISP received a motion to eliminate violations. At the request of the Prosecutor’s Office, the provider has restricted access to the site.

 

Dreamwidth.org Was Blacklisted

On May 8, 2013, it was reported that a number of providers blocked access to the portal dreamwidth.org whose IP-address was included in the Register of Banned Sites. The inclusion was triggered by a post about a method of suicide (pistol to the temple) in one of the blogs.

A Yamal Court Ordered the Internet Provider to Block Diploma-Selling Web Sites

On 24 May 2013, the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District Prosecutor’s Office reported that the Salekhard City Court granted the claim of the Muravlenko City Prosecutor’s Office against the local branch of the Internet provider Rostelecom. The Prosecutors Office demanded restrictions on access to Web sites that sold fake diplomas and graduation certificates. The City Prosecutor's Office is overseeing the compliance with the verdict. 

Roscomnadzor Made Another Mistake

On May 24, 2013, it was announced that Roscomnadzor added the VKontakte social network to the register of banned sites. In some regions, particularly in Chita and St. Petersburg, providers restricted access to the social network.

According to media reports, the blacklisting took place due to the fact that some photos, published by the Vkontakte users, were recognized by Roscomnadzor as child pornography. Roskomnadzor spokesman Vladimir Pikov said that VKontakte had been added to the list in error and would be removed from it.

 

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A Chronicle of Russian Internet Filtering / April 2013

April saw bizarre variety of sites blocked by the Russian authorities or Internet service providers: among them Wikipedia (for a few days for a page on cannabis), the Yandex search engine, sites promoting bribery and corruption and sites of land developers, blogspot.com alongside Android blog, Absurdopedia (the Russian version of Uncyclopedia). Even the parody web site Gospoisk (gossearch.ru) was blocked. The site is a fake search engine, ostensibly created with government support - when a visitor types a query in the search box, he is asked to enter his first and last name, patronymic, passport details, address and the reason for the request.

Education and schools

Prosecutors Seek to Shield Students from Extremist Materials in Bashkortostan

On April 22, 2013, the Office of Public Prosecutor of the Republic of Bashkortostan reported that the Buzdyaksky District Prosecutor’s Office filed a complaint in court, requesting to limit student access to extremist materials.

High school students in the towns of Tyuryushevo, Tashlykul, Kopei-Kubovo and Gafuri of Budzyaksky District had access to these sites. No content filtering software was installed on the school computers.

 Prosecutors Shielded Students from Undesirable Information in Kalmykia

On April 17, 2013, the Kalmykia Republic Prosecutor’s Office reported that computers in seven schools of Lagansky District allowed access to extremist materials as well as materials that advocate violence and cruelty. The District Prosecutor's Office filed seven claims against the regional branch of Rostelecom with requests to limit access to the identified resources. On April 16, the court granted two claims; the remaining five claims were dropped due to the provider’s voluntary compliance with the requests of Prosecutor’s Office.

 Prosecutors Seek to Block Several Web Sites in Togliatti

On April 17, 2013, the Samara Regional Prosecutor's Office reported that students of several educational institutions in Togliatti had access to undesirable sites.

The Tsentralny District Prosecutor's Office of Togliatti sent motions to the administration of Togliatti College of Service Technology and Entrepreneurship, the Inter-school Educational Plant and Secondary School No. 5 to cease the violations. In addition, the Prosecutor's Office has filed 48 lawsuits in order to block access to extremist materials and to Web sites containing information on smoking blends.

A Court Ordered School Administration to Shield Students from Harmful Web Sites in the Nizhny Novgorod Region

On April 18, 2013, it became known that the Nizhny Novgorod Regional Court ordered the administration of the Diveevsk secondary school to block student access to Web sites with information about illegal drugs and pornographic materials. The school has 30 days to comply with the court's decision.

Prosecutors Shielded Students from Neo-Nazi Materials in Karelia,

On April 19, 2013, the Republic of Karelia Prosecutor’s Office reported on an audit of compliance with federal legislation concerning the priority national project “Education,” conducted in schools of Sortavalsky District.

In the course of the inspection, school computers in five schools were found to provide access to extremist Web sites. In particular, students had access to the texts of the songs by the music band Kolovrat - "Honour and Blood” (Krov’ i chest’), “Russia” (Rossiia), “The Aryan Revenge” (Ariysky Revansh), “Moscow skinheads" (Moskovskiye Britogolovye), "Glory to Russia" (Slava Rossii) - included on the Federal List of Extremist Materials. In addition, they found the following books from the Federal List to be publicly accessible: Memoirs by Alfred Rosenberg, Rechi Varga. Vargsmal and Rechi Varga II. Varg Vikernes.

Based on the results of the audit, the Sortavala Prosecutor's Office sent corresponding motions to the administration of these schools. The identified violations have been eliminated, and the guilty parties faced disciplinary charges.

Prosecutors Seek to Shield Students from Illegal Content in the Kursk Region

On April 11, 2013, it was reported that the Zheleznogorsky District Prosecutor’s Office in the Kursk Region filed a lawsuit against an Internet provider demanding that it limit access of students from several educational institutions to harmful Web sites.

Earlier, a prosecutorial inspection established that computers in the Vocational School or Arts and the Vocational School of Service and Commerce in Zheleznogorsk allowed access to extremist Web sites and to Web sites with information about points of sale and manufacture of illegal drugs.

Omsk Prosecutors Call for Protecting Students from Extremist Materials

On April 11, 2013, it was reported that prosecutors established the fact of public access to extremist materials from computers installed in the classrooms of three Omsk schools (the names of these educational institutions were not reported).

Based on the results of the audit, the Prosecutor’s Office send three motions to the administrators of these educational institutions, and went to court, demanding that student access to extremist Web sites be blocked.

Prosecutors Seek to Limit Student Access to Extremist Web Sites in Chukotka

On April 5, 2013 it was reported that the Anadyr District Prosecutor’s Office found students of S. Vaenga Center for Education Municipal Educational Institution to have access to extremist and pornographic Web sites, since the institution’s computers had no content filters installed.

The Head of the S. Vaenga Center of Education received a motion to eliminate violations.

Prosecutors Seek to Protect School Children from Harmful Information in the Komi Republic.

On April 4, 2013, the Komi Republic Prosecutor’s Office reported that the Izhemskiy District Prosecutor’s Office had found Web sites with propaganda of illegal drugs or extremism accessible from computers of the secondary schools in Kelchiyur and Nyashabozh. In addition, students in these schools had access to pornography.

The Prosecutor’s Office submitted a motion to the Head of the Education Department of the Izhemskiy District Administration to cease the violations. The perpetrators faced disciplinary charges.

 Prosecutors Seek to Shield Students from Extremist Materials in the Tula Region

On April 4, 2013, it became known that the Novomoskovsk City Prosecutor’s Office in the Tula Region established that the content filtering systems, installed on computers in Novomoskovsk Polytechnic College, were failing to adequately protect students from harmful information. Specifically, students had access to publications included on the Federal List of Extremist Materials.

Similar violations were detected in High School No. 17 of Novomoskovsk. The motions were sent to the heads of these educational institutions with the request to cease the identified violations.

The Lipetsk Regional Prosecutor’s Office Ordered the Internet Providers to Block Student Access to Extremist Content

On April 3, 2013, the Lipetsk Regional Prosecutor’s Office reported that the Prosecutor’s Offices of Dobrinsky, Dolgorukovsky and Lev-Tolstovsky Districts as well as Sovetsky District Prosecutor’s Office of Lipetsk found several few Web sites containing extremist material to be publicly accessible from the school computers. It happened despite the fact that the schools had content filtering systems installed.

The Prosecutor’s Office ordered the ISPs to restrict student access to extremist materials.

 Extremism

A Court Ordered the Internet Service Provider to Block Extremist Web Site in Vladivostok,

On April 23, 2013, the Primorsky Regional Prosecutor's Office announced that the Vladivostok City Prosecutor's Office had filed a lawsuit against an internet provider for failing to restrict access to the site, which housed more than 560 publications included on the Federal List of Extremist Materials. The prosecutors demanded that access to these materials be blocked.

The Frunzenskiy District Court of Vladivostok granted the request of the Prosecutor's Office.

A Prosecutor’s Office in Kamchatka Requests to Block Access to Extremist Web Site

On April 23, 2013, the Kamchatka Regional Prosecutor's Office reported that the Yelizovo City Prosecutor's Office had filed a lawsuit demanding that the Internet provider AMH restrict access to the Web site, which contained  materials recognized in court as extremist.

Prosecutors Request to Limit Student Access to Extremist Web Sites in the Saratov Region

On April 23, 2013, it was reported that the Atkarskiy Inter-District Prosecutor's Office of the Saratov Region, in the course of an audit, found Web sites with extremist materials to be accessible from computers installed in the computer labs of several schools.

Based on the results of the audit, the administration of these schools received 9 motions to cease the identified violations.

Access to the Extremist Video Was Blocked Upon Prosecutorial Request in Vladivostok

On April 24, 2013, it was reported that the Pervomaiskiy District Prosecutor’s Office of Vladivostok sent a motion to the director of Dalniy Vostok Macro-regional Branch of Rostelecom requesting the removal from hosting dsv.video.disland.ru of a video materials “with content, identical to the video Poslednee interviiu Primorskikh Partizan (The Last Interview of Primorye Guerillas), listed on the Federal List of Extremist Materials.” The provider complied with the Prosecutor’s Office demands. 

Roscomnadzor Issued Warnings to Several Web Sites for Reporting about a Novosibirsk Artist

On April 22, 2013, Roscomnadzor issued warnings for "inciting religious hatred" to editors and founders of sites Grani.ru, Polit.ru, Obeschaniya.Ru and the portal Sibkray.ru for publishing material on Novosibirsk artist and activist Artem Loskutov.

Loskutov was fined for insulting religious feelings, for distributing T-shirts with the image of the Pussy Riot collective stylized as a devotional icon. The aforementioned media outlets reported on the fines.

A Prosecutor’s Office in Nizhny Novgorod Demands Blocking the Web Site that Published Fruits of Belief

On April 15, 2013, the Nizhny Novgorod Regional Prosecutor's Office reported that the text of the book Fruits of Belief from the Risale-i-Nur collection, included on the Federal List of Extremist Materials, was found to be publicly available.

The Moscovsky District Prosecutor's Office of Nizhny Novgorod filed six claims with the district court against to the Internet providers Technologiia and UNIT, demanding that they limit access to the material, possibly blocking the entire site.

 Access to the Site That Published an Extremist Book Was Limited by Court Decision in Barnaul

On April 16, 2013, the Altai Regional Prosecutor's Office reported that on March 26 a court granted the petition of the Leninsky District Prosecutor's Office of Barnaul against the Internet Provider SibGruppInvest. According to the court’s decision, the provider must restrict access to the Web site, which published the book The World after the Race War, recognized as extremist.

The court's decision has not yet entered into force.

A Court Recognized Ingushetiyaru.org Web Site as Extremist

On April 4, 2013, the Magassky District Court declared the oppositional Web site Ingushetiyaru.org to be extremist. The Prosecutor’s Office found signs of extremism in the materials published on the site.

A Samara Court Banned Access to Hizb ut-Tahrir Web Sites

On April 17, 2013, the Leninsky District Court of Samara granted 4 claims of the Prosecutor’s Office against the Internet providers Kraft-S and Kraft-Telecom, in which it requested restrictions on access to several Hizb ut-Tahrir Web sites. The claims were granted in full.

A Prosecutor's Office Requires Restricting Student Access to Extremist Websites in the Saratov Region

On April 9, 2013, it was reported that the Perelyubsky District Prosecutor’s Office of the city of Balakovo in the Saratov Region found that the content filters installed in the district's schools did not provide sufficient protection of students from harmful information. In particular, students had access to Web sites containing extremist materials.

The Prosecutor’s Office directed a corresponding motion to the Head of the Department of Education in the Perelyubsky Municipal Area Administration. 

A Court Blocked Extremist Websites in North Ossetia

On April 9, 2013, it was announced that the Zaterechny District Prosecutor’s Office in Vladikavkaz filed five court claims with requests to block a number of Web sites (www.invivio.net, www.kinopod.ru, www.kinofilms.tv, www.yahoou.ru, www.video.bigmir.net), that contained the film The Eternal Jew (Vechny zhid) and the book White Primer (Belyi Bukvar’), included on the Federal List of Extremist Materials. The court granted the claims of the Prosecutor's Office in full.

Ufa Prosecutors Want to Block a Site That Features an Extremist Book

On April 11, 2013, it became known that the Kirov District Prosecutor’s Office in Ufa filed a claim against local Internet providers. The prosecutors demanded that the providers TTK-Center, BashTelekomServis and Sotovaia Sviaz’ Bashkortostana limit access to the sites that published Yuri Mukhin's book Za derzhavu obidno  included on the Federal List of Extremist Materials.

Prosecutors Seek to Limit Access to Hizb ut-Tahrir Web Sites in Samara

On April 1, 2013, it became known that the Samara City Prosecutor’s Office identified two publicly accessible Hizb ut-Tahrir Web sites.

Based on this data, the Prosecutor’s Office sent to the Courts of Leninsky, Samarsky and Zheleznodorozhny Districts of Samara 32 claims demanding that providers restrict access to the identified sites. 

Prosecutors Request Blocking a Web Site That Published Mein Kampf in Samara

On April 2, 2013, the Samara Regional Prosecutor’s Office said that the Samarsky District Prosecutor’s Office of Samara found a Web site with the text of Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf.

The Prosecutor’s Office asked the court to demand that the ISP Informatsionnyi Meditsinsky Tsentr limit access to this site.


Suicide propoganda

A Suicide-Related Web Site Is Restricted by Court Order in the Orenburg Region

On April 22, 2013, the Novotroitskiy City Court of the Orenburg Region granted a claim of the Novotroitskiy City Prosecutor’s Office against an internet provider, in which the prosecutors demanded restrictions on access to a Web site that contained information on ways to commit suicide. 

 

Gambling and casinos

A Court Ordered the Internet Provider to Restrict Access to Gambling Web Sites in Udmurtia.

On April 16, 2013, it was reported that the Glazov Inter-District Prosecutor's Office in Udmurtia asked the court to order the local Internet provider Krein to restrict access to a number of online casinos. The court granted the request of the Prosecutor’s Office in full.

Ulyanovsk Prosecutors Demand Restrictions on Access to Gambling Web Sites

On April 16, 2013, it was reported that the Zasviyazhskiy District Prosecutor's Office of Ulyanovsk has filed a lawsuit against the Internet Provider DARS-IP demanding that it block access to foreign gambling sites.

The Web sites in question include Eurogrand, Prestigecasino, Azartplay, Casino.williamhill, Cristal-slots, and Twistcasino.

A court ordered the Internet Provider to Block 25 Web Sites in Karelia.

On April 17, 2013, the Office of the Public Prosecutor of the Republic of Karelia reported that the Medvezhiegorsky District Court granted in full the request of the District Prosecutor's Office to restrict access to 25 gambling Web sites. The ISP must now block access to these sites. 

A Court Banned Access to of Online Casino Sites in the Samara Region

On April 19, 2013, the Samara Regional Prosecutor's Office reported that the Leninsky District Court of Chapayevsk had granted 10 claims of the City Prosecutor’s Office to restrict access to gambling Web sites.

Court Ordered the ISPs to Block Gambling Web Sites in Samara

On April 19, 2013, the Samara Regional Prosecutor's Office reported that on March 16 the Kirovsky district court of Samara granted two claims by the District Prosecutor's and ordered to restrict access to gambling sites. The Internet providers in the district are required to block the sites.

Prosecutors Issue Request to Block MMM Web Site in Kaliningrad

On April 9, 2013, it became known that the prosecutor of the Moscow district of Kaliningrad had filed a lawsuit against the Internet providers demanding that they limit access to the MMM-2012 Web site.

A gambling site is blocked in the Nizhny Novgorod Region

On March 31, 2013 it was reported that the Nizhegorodsky District Court of Nizhny Novgorod granted in full the claim of the Kulebaksk City Prosecutor's Office to limit access to a gambling Web site.

The court's decision has entered into force. The Rostelecom-Volga Branch of Rostelecom restricted access to the Web site by adding IP-address filtering of its address at the border router and filtering by site name on their network servers.

A Court Blocked S.Mavrodi’s Web Sites in Karelia

On April 5, 2013, The Karelian Republican Prosecutor’s Office reported that the Medvezhiegorsky District Court fully granted the claim of the Prosecutor's Office, demanding restrictions on access to the sites MMM-2011 and MMM-2012.

 A Prosecutor’s Office Appealed the Refusal of its Claims for Blocking Web Sites in the Orel Region

On April 9, 2013, it was announced that the Judicial Division for Civil Cases of the Orel Regional Court revoked three determinations of the Zavodskoy District Court of the city of Orel. Previously, the district court had refused to consider the Prosecutor’s Office requests to restrict access to several Web sites that promote gambling. The Prosecutor’s Office appealed the decision and re-filed three lawsuits in the same District Court.


Drugs

Saratov Prosecutors Succeeded in Blocking Web Sites That Inform About Purchasing Drugs

On April 8, 2013, the Saratov Regional Prosecutor's Office announced that the Judicial Division for Civil Cases of the Saratov Regional Court overturned the decision of the Kirov District Court of Saratov of November 27, 2012 to dismiss the claim of the Kirov District Prosecutor's Office. The initial claim requested that the Internet provider Altura limit access to the Web site that tell about places to purchase illegal drugs.

The new decision, issued in the case, granted the requests of the Prosecutor’s Office to ban access to this Web site.

Odnoklassniki.ru Blocked Page with Information about Purchasing Drugs.

On April 10, 2013, it was reported that Roscomnadzor added a page from Odnoklassniki.ru social network that contained information about purchasing illegal drugs to the list of banned sites upon request from regional charitable organization Sakhalin without Drugs (Sakhalin bez narkotikov). Access to the page has been closed.

 Web Sites Blocked by Court Order in the Chelyabinsk Region

On April 9, 2013, the Chelyabinsk Regional Prosecutor's Office reported that the Yemanzhelinsk City Prosecutor’s Office had filed a claim against the Internet provider TelKom requesting to block some pornographic sites as well as sites that promote drug use. The court granted the claim of the Prosecutor’s Office.

Wikipedia Gets Blacklisted and then removed from the Black List for its Article on Cannabis Smoking

On April 2, 2013, the administration of Wikipedia was notified that Roscomnadzor was adding the online encyclopedia to the Register of Banned Sites for the entry “Cannabis Smoking”. The Wikipedia authors Community is discussing whether to remove the article or just to edit it. On April 10, 2013, it became known that "Cannabis Smoking", the Wikipedia article listed on Register of Banned Sites, had been edited. The links to it were removed from register, and it was not blocked. 

Prosecutors Seek to Limit Access to a Web Site Containing Information on Illegal Drugs in the Saratov Region

On April 1, 2013, it was reported that the Saratov Regional Prosecutor’s Office prosecution filed court claims against providers in order to block access to 10 sites, telling about the points of sale for illegal drugs and methods of their use.

And the rest

Rostelecom Blocked Yandex for Several Minutes

On April 23, 2013, the Internet provider Rostelecom blocked the Yandex search engine Web site for 23 minutes. It turned out that blocking occurred due to an advertisement for psychotropic substances that was available via some IP-address that coincided with IP-addresses used by Yandex.

An attempt to visit http://www.yandex.ru resulted in a notification that the search engine had been included on the register of banned sites. The action was based on the decision of the Maykop City Court in the case related to blocking Web sites that offered illegal drugs. The list of IP address, provided as a result of this court decision, included the Yandex site. The Rostelecom personnel removed Yandex’s address from the list.

 Prosecutors in Yekaterinburg Request to Block Web Sites That Promote Smoking Blends

On April 23, 2013, the Sverdlovsk Regional Prosecutor's Office announced that the Oktyabrsky District Prosecutor's Office of Yekaterinburg had filed 4 court claims requesting that the Macro-regional Ural Branch of Rostelecom limit access to four sites that promote smoking blends. Blocking should be implemented via filtering the IP-addresses of these sites on the border routers.

Rostelecom Attempted Blocking a Parody Search Web Site

On April 26, 2013, it was reported that Rostelecom blocked access to the parody Web site Gospoisk (gossearch.ru).

The site is a fake search engine, ostensibly created with support from the Ministry of Communications and Rostelecom. When a site visitor types a query in the search box, he is asked to enter his first and last name, patronymic, passport details, address and the reason for his/her request. If the user answers to these questions, the site generates a request number and recommends the user to visit the nearest office of the Ministry of Communications of the Russian Federation and show this request number.

According to Rostelecom, the site was blocked by the decision of the Pskov City Court because the gossearch.ru address coincided with the address of a gambling site. As of April 28, the site was accessible in Moscow.

The Chechnya Republican Prosecutor's Office Requests Restrictions on Access to Web Sites with Information on Weapons Manufacture

On April 12, 2013, the Republican Prosecutor's Office of Chechnya identified three Web sites with information relating to manufacturing of weapons. Based on these inspection results, the Prosecutor's Office filed three claims with the Leninsky District Court in Grozny in order to restrict access to these sites.

VKontakte Social Network blocked several groups upon request of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia

On April 18, 2013, the Administration of VKontakte blocked several user groups. These groups posted materials containing incitement to violence and recognized by courts as extremist.

Blocking was performed at the request of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia; the administration of the social network signed an agreement on cooperation with the Federation. 

The Web Sites with Propaganda of Corruption Have Been Blocked in Bashkortostan upon Request from the Prosecutor's Office

On April 8, 2013, the Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Bashkortostan reported that Buzdyaksky District Prosecutor’s Office had issued a motion addressed to the Internet provider Bashinformsvyaz demanding that it restrict access to Web sites that tell about methods of giving a bribe.

The provider has complied with the Prosecutor’s Office requests.

 A Prosecutor’s Office Demands That Providers Block a Bribery-related Web Site in Ufa

On April 9, 2013, it was reported that the Leninsky District Prosecutor’s Office of Ufa has filed court claims against three providers. The Prosecutor’s Office demands restrictions on access to the Web site telling about the mechanism of paying bribes to officials.

Online Libraries Find Themselves Blacklisted

On April 5, 2013, it was reported that Rospotrebnadzor has added to the Register of Banned Web Sites the addresses of several online libraries, including BookFi.org and Sovremennik.ws.

A Court Decision to Block the Websites Selling Fake Diplomas Is Issued in Togliatti,

On April 1, 2013, it became known that the Komsomolsky District Court of Togliatti granted the claim submitted by the Prosecutor’s Office against the Internet provider Flygo Telecom, demanding that the provider restrict access to Web sites that offer fake Diplomas of various universities. The Court's decision has not yet entered into force.

Four More Warnings for the Pussy Riot Video

On March 29, 2013, it was announced that Roscomnadzor issued four additional warnings for publishing the Pussy Riot video. The warnings were issued to the Web site Neva24.ru, portal KM.ru, and the news agencies New Region and Regions.ru.

Absurdopedia’s Loses Its Appeal against its Blacklisting.

On April 1, 2013, the Obninsk City Court considered the appeal, submitted by the administration of Absurdopedia – the Russian version of Uncyclopedia – related to the November 2012 decision of Rospotrebnadzor to add the Absurdopedia site to the Register of Banned Sites. The Court dismissed the complaint. 

Rostelecom and NKS Block Blogspot.com

On April 3, 2013, it was reported that the Internet providers Rostelecom and NKS were blocking blogspot.com platform in different regions based on unknown set of criteria. They are blocking technical materials and blogs in English. Android blog was among the blocked ones.

Web Sites of the Land Developers Are Prohibited in the Krasnodar Region

On April 2, 2013, it was reported that the Yeisk District Prosecutor’s Office in the Krasnodar Region, filed a claim demanding that the internet providers restrict access to the Web sites of the construction companies Rodina and Kvartal and the sites http://rodina-kuban.ru, http://sil-kuban.ru, http://kvartal23.ru and http://stroim-anapu.ru, all belonging to S. Antipin:.

The developers used these sites to publish information regarding the sales of property within buildings under construction, while raising cooperative funds for these construction projects was prohibited. 

A Prosecutor's Office Demands Restrictions on Access to a Web Site with Information on Manufacturing Explosives in Barnaul.

On April 10, 2013, the Altai Regional Prosecutor's Office reported that the Tsenral’nyi District Prosecutor’s Office in Barnaul filed 8 court claims against the providers demanding that they restrict access to a Web site that tells about manufacturing explosives at home.

The Ulyanovsk Regional Demands Blocking the Sites That Promote Bribery

On April 10, 2013, it became known that the Ulyanovsk Regional Prosecutor’s Office filed a lawsuit against the regional branch of Rostelecom, demanding restrictions on access to Web sites that tell about the methods of giving a bribe and evading responsibility for it.

The Web sites in question include Cripo.com, Glavnoe, Aloepole, Krasjob, Daslife, Scandalim, Bbcont, Homearchive, Tvoemnenie, Posovesti.

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A Chronicle of Russian Internet Filtering / March 2013

n March the Russian authorities turned their attentions to online social networks — and the Kremlin proved adept at getting major international companies to comply with its directives: on 15 March Twitter blocked an account that promoted drugs and on 29 March Facebook took down a page called “Suicide School” rather than see its entire network blacklisted.

On 25 March, reports surfaced that the ministry of Communications and Mass Media planned to transfer maintenance of the Registry of Banned Sites from communications regulator Roskomnadzor to a third party selected by Roskomnadzor. The ministry proposed changes to the registry; to maintain website owners’ information on the register but deny sites owners — as well as hosting and Internet providers — access to the entire registry. Internet service providers will also be obliged to restore access to sites that have been removed from the register within 24 hours.

Education and schools

ISPs win small victory on child protection

Reports from 1 March stated that Vladimir Putin agreed a change to the Russian administrative code exempting internet service providers from responsibility for preventing availability to children of harmful materials from publicly accessible internet services. Responsibility now rests with all “persons who provide access to information distributed via telecommunication networks in places accessible to children” rather than ISPs.

Saratov demands better filtering

On 13 March the Saratov regional prosecutor reported that the Bazarno-Karabulaksky district prosecutor had discovered that pornographic websites were accessible from computers in the village school of Alekseevka. Similar violations were discovered in schools of Maksimovka, Vyazovka and Sukhoi Karabulak. The schools were told to upgrade their content filtering.

Tyva schools ordered to improve content filtering

On 27 March it was reported that the Tandinsky district court in the Tyva Republic had accepted a district prosecutor’s demand that Kochetovo village school enhance its content filtering. An inspection had found that students could access websites providing instructions on manufacturing smoking blends and explosives, as well as publications included on the Federal List of Extremist Materials.

Neryungri prosecutor demands filtering

It was reported on 27 March that the Neryungri prosecutor had discovered that computers in several schools and a college allowed access to undesirable websites. Educational managers were fined for their negligence and content filters are currently being installed.

Pskov clamps down on porn

On 29 March it was reported that the Dnovsky district prosecutor in Pskov had discovered that students in a secondary school in the town of Dno were able to freely access pornographic websites and sites promoting the use of illegal drugs. The school was told to stop allowing such access.

Bashkortostan targets cannabis site

The Meleuzovsky prosecutor in Bashkortostan discovered that banned websites were accessible in several Meleuz educational institutions. Students in one school could access a website containing information on manufacturing hashish. The prosecutor demanded that the schools restrict access.

Extremism

Extremism “discovered in burger bar”

On 28 February an inspection by the counter-propaganda department of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic ministry of the interior’s anti-extremism unit found an extremist website on the Federal List of Extremist Materials, made publicly accessible from a computer in the Momento Burger internet cafe in Cherkessk. The case is now being considered by the local prosecutor.

Syktyvkar assault on ‘extremist materials’

It was reported on 15 March that the Syktyvkar city court had accepted its prosecutor’s writ demanding that access to 20 sites be restricted by the ISP ParmaTel for featuring extremist materials.

Vologda blocks Islamist website

On 18 March it was reported that the Sokolsky prosecutor had issued a request to an ISP to block access to radical Islamist websites including an article included on the Federal List of Extremist Materials.

Samara clamps down

On 19 March the Kirovsky district court of Samara granted the prosecutor’s office claim against an Internet provider for providing access to a website that contained the book The Gardens of the Righteous by Imam Abu Zakaria Mohiuddin Yahya. The book is included on the Federal List of Extremist Materials.

Moscow prosecutor restricts access

On 19 March it was reported that Gagarinsky prosecutor in in Moscow had filed a writ with Gagarinsky district court against the ISP Niko-2001, demanding restrictions on access to five websites containing publications on the Federal List of Extremist Materials. The ISP complied and the case was dropped.

Nazis suppressed in Lipetsk

Reports from 19 March stated that the Sovetsky district prosecutor in Lipetsk had successfully demanded that the White Resistance (Beloie Soprotivleniie) website be recognised as extremist because it contained Aryan supremacy propaganda, including Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf.

Ulyanovsk goes for Islamists

On 21 March the Ulyanovsk regional prosecutor stated that the Inzensky district prosecutor had found a number of publicly accessible websites containing extremist materials, including the Letter of the Autonomous Mujahideen Group of Vilayata KBK IK, which is on the Federal List of Extremist Materials. The district prosecutor has served a writ against the local branch of the ISP Rostelekom demanding that access be blocked.

Saratov upholds ban

On 22 March it was reported that the civil law panel of the Saratov regionial court had upheld a lower court’s decision to order the ISPs COMSTAR-Regions and Altura to restrict access to websites containing extremist materials.

Saratov prosecutor sues against hatred

On 27 March the Saratov regional prosecutor was reported to have filed eight writs against the ISP COMSTAR-Regiony and the regional branch of the ISP Rostelekom, demanding restrictions on access to websites containing references to extremist activity and materials aimed at inciting hatred or enmity.

Poem targeted in Tambov

On 27 March it was reported that the Michurinsk city prosecutor in Tambov had demanded that the ISP Telesputnik restrict access to a web page containing a poem included on the Federal List of Extremist Materials. The poem was declared extremist by a city court in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk in 2007.

Chelyabinsk restricts nationalist site

On 28 March the Chelyabinsk regional prosecutor announced that the Leninsky district prosecutor in Magnitogorsk had filed seven writs demanding that ISPs restrict access to a right-wing website publishing extremist materials — among them the the article Open Questions of Russian Nationalism.

Sverdlovsk targets Islamists

On 28 March the Sverdlovsk regional prosecutor announced that the Kamensk-Uralsky prosecutor had filed several writs against the ISPs Kamensk-Telekom and Konveks-Kamensk and the regional branch of Rostelekom demanding restrictions on access to websites containing materials on the Federal List of Extremist Materials including the tract Adhering to the Sunnah of the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon Him).

Bryansk ISP gets court order

On 28 March it was announced that the Bryansk regional court had granted the request of the Volodarsky district prosecutor to restrict access to websites containing extremist materials. The Sovetsky district court last year rejected the request but was overturned on appeal.

Ivanovo prosecutor wants explosives ban

On 28 March the Ivanovo regional prosecutor reported that the Teikovsky prosecutor had identified publicly accessible websites that contain information about manufacturing explosives. Writs demanding restriction of access to the websites were subsequently issued.

Kirov kills fascist website

On 28 March the Kirov regional prosecutor reported that a publicly accessible website offering items with fascist symbols for sale was identified during an audit. The Kirov city prosecutor demanded that the ISP MTC block access and the court complied.

Gambling and online casinos

‘No more gambling’ in Chapayevsk

On 6 March the Samara regional prosecutor declared that the Lenin district court of Samara had accepted 19 complaints by the Chapayevsk town prosecutor about inadequate restrictions on access to gambling websites.

Ulyanovsk restricts pyramid schemes

On 14 March it was reported that the Novomalyklinsky district prosecutor’s office of the Ulyanovsk region had issued writs against the local branch of the ISP Rostelekom demanding restrictions on access to websites run by the pyramid-scheme impresario Sergey Mavrodi.

Kurgan stops the betting

On 15 March it was reported that the Dalmatovsky district prosecutor had identified 25 gambling websites. The prosecutor demanded that the ISP Rus block the sites, and it agreed.

Online gambling halted in Penza

On 15 March the Penza regional prosecutor reported that the Lenin district prosecutor had identified 13 online casino websites. The prosecutor filed a writ against the ISP Rostelekom demanding that access be restricted, which was granted.

Orenburg rules out casinos

On 15 March it was reported that the Novotroitsk town court in the Orenburg region had agreed to a  prosecutor’s demands for restrictions on access to online casino sites. The ISP Ass-Com blocked more than 20 websites voluntarily.

Omsk bars access to gambling

On 20 March the Leninsky district prosecutor’s office in Omsk sued the ISP Sakhalin in the Leninsky district court, demanding restrictions on access to pyramid-scheme websites.

Pskov stops the gamblers

On 21 March it was reported that the Pskov regional prosecutor had found 85 websites with gambling-related information and demanded access restrictions for the sites. After a long legal wrangle, the local branch of the ISP Rostelecom was ordered to restrict access.

Khanty-Mansiysk closes online bookies

On 22 March the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous district prosecutor’s office reported that the Nyagan Town prosecutor had identified several gambling websites. Based on the results of the inspection, the prosecutor filed a lawsuit against the local Rostelekom branch demanding that access to the websites be restricted. The Khanty-Mansiysk district court has granted the petition in full.

Perm blocks gambling access

On 26 March the Perm regional prosecutor reported that pyramid-scheme websites had been found in the public domain in Chernushinsky district. The district prosecutor issued a writ demanding that the local ISP restrict access to these sites, which was accepted by the district court.

Khanty-Mansiysk clamps down

On 26 March it was reported that the appeal court in the Khanty-Mansiysk autonomous district had accepted demands from local prosecutors that pyramid-scheme websites be blocked.

Social networks

Twitter closes account and deleted Tweets

On 15 March it became known that in the two preceding weeks Twitter had blocked access to five tweets and closed one user account upon request from Roskomnadzor because its owner advertised the sales of illegal drugs. Three Tweets were blocked for promoting suicide and two more for assisting in drug distribution. The deleted user’s account had advertised a drug distribution network, and was reported to Roskomnadzor by Twitter after its removal.

ISP blocks social networks in Ryazan and Orel

On 28 March it was reported that the ISP Rostelekom had blocked the Odnoklassniki and VKontakte social networks in the Ryazan and Orel regions and had blocked access to YouTube in Orel and Livejournal in Ryazan. The websites were included on the Registry of Banned Sites, but the block was later lifted.

Roskomnadzor warns Facebook

On 28 March it was reported that the federal communications agency Roskomnadzor notified Facebook that it would be blocked unless it removed a page called “Suicide school”, containing (mostly humurous) information about suicide. The page was added to Russia’s internet blacklist and was taken down by the social networking site.

Drugs and pornography

Samara blocks drug-dealing sites

On 12 March it was reported that the Novokuibyshevsk city court in Samara region had demanded that local ISPs MIRS, Next Tell-Samara, Progress IT and TesComVolga restrict access to 25 websites that offered narcotics and psychedelic substances for sale. The websites were identified during an audit conducted by the FSB Department of Samara Region.

Sverdlovsk prosecutor demands drugs action

Reports from 12 March stated that the Sverdlovsk regional prosecutor had filed eight writs against the local branch of the ISP Rostelekom,  demanding restrictions on access to the websites containing material encouraging the use of illegal drugs.

Vladimir restricts access to porn and drugs

On 18 March the Vladimir regional prosecutor declared that the Kolchuginsky interdistrict prosecutor had  found websites containing pornographic materials, information about drug manufacturing and articles about suicide methods, made publicly accessible from a computer installed in the Kolchugino town post office. The prosecutor issued a writ against against a local branch of the ISP Rostelekom demanding that access be restricted, to which the ISP agreed.

Samara prosecutor demands porn block

On 19 March it was reported that the Novokuibyshevsk city prosecutor had filed six writs to block websites featuring child pornography. The lawsuits are pending.

Khabarovsk court upholds ISP porn decision

On 21 March it was reported that the Khabarovsk regional court had upheld the decision of the Centralny district court in October 2012 against the local branch of the ISP Rostelekom, restricting access to two websites with pornographic content.

And the rest…

Website blocked for suicide book

On 27 March it was reported that a book by Perm psychotherapist Yuri Vagin, Aesthetics of Suicide (Estetika samoubiystva) had been categorised as extremist. The federal communications agency Roskomnadzor included the website of the Perm psychoanalytic society, which published the book, on the Registry of Banned Sites.

Orthodox parish registered as dangerous

On 27 March it was reported that Roskomnadzor had included the website of Svyato-Vvedensky parish of Rostov on the Register of Banned Sites. As of 30 March, a message “The requested page could not be found” could be seen when attempting to access the site.

Websites warned over Pussy Riot

On 5 March Roskomnadzor reported that it had issued warnings in late February 2013 to the editorial boards of Argumenty i Fakty newspaper and the Polit.ru online news service for republishing a video clip by the Pussy Riot punk collective. The video had been previously been defined by a court as extremist.

Popular writers blog added to banned list

On 19 March Roskomnadzor added to the Register of Banned Sites a page from the online blog of popular writer Leonid Kaganov that featured the lyrics to a satirical song from a 1990s TV show — supposedly for encouraging suicide. A blog post in which Kaganov commented on this ban was then added to the register — and then so was his entire blog, even though, on the request of Roskomnadzor, Kaganov removed the contentious lyrics from his blog.

Sakhalin ISP told to stop giving bribery tips

On 26 March the Sakhalin regional court reversed a previous Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk city court decision not to ban the ISP Rostelekom from allowing access to a website containing information about giving bribes. The ISP must now restrict access to the site.

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It became clear in February that internet censorship in Russia could be expanded to include sites with gay content. The State Duma voted for a bill banning “propaganda” for homosexuality involving minors, the second reading of which is scheduled for 25 May.

Many commentators believe that by then the bill will include amendments extending the list of conditions for blocking websites to include those containing information about homosexuality, which could be blocked without a court order. Current laws on protection of children could be similarly amended.

Duma deputy Elena Mizulina stated: “No adult has the right to impose their sexual preferences on a person under 18 years of age. Propaganda for homosexuality should be considered information inappropriate for children.” The League for Internet Safety, which is backed by the Kremlin and was behind the introduction of the register of banned websites in Russia, supports the initiative.

Schools, students, libraries and a post office

Tuva prosecutor demands school filters
On 22 February it was reported by the Ulug-Khem district prosecutor’s office of the Tuva republic that computers in a school that had been discovered in an inspection last October to allow unfettered access to extremist websites were still lacking filtering software. The computers, in a school in the town of Shagonar, allowed access to Islamist, anti-Semitic and fascist videos and books. The prosecutor demanded that the republic’s minister of education penalise the school’s principal and ensure that the school end the violations.

Stavropol attack on “harmful” advertising
On 26 February it was reported that a prosecutor’s audit of the Stavropol region in January had found that internet service providers were placing ads for pornographic materials and films featuring scenes of cruelty on school websites hosted on portals narod.ru and ukoz.ru. On 9 January, the prosecutor’s office told the head of the Stavropol city education office to cease violating legislation on the rights of minors. Ten school principals now face disciplinary action.

Restrictions on student access in Vologda
On 28 February it was reported that the Vologda city prosecutor had found websites containing extremist and pornographic materials and alcohol advertising to be accessible from computers in five schools. The prosecutor told the schools to block students’ access.

Rural school told: block “damaging” information
On 18 February it was reported that the Kalininskii district prosecutor in the Saratov region had found that computers in the Simonovka village secondary school provided access to websites “that could damage the health and moral and spiritual development of children”. The prosecutor told the school administration to cease the violations.

Library must restrict access to explosives sites
On 18 February it was reported that the Khanty-Mansiysk autonomous district prosecutor had found that Beloyarsk library computers provided access to websites with information on manufacturing explosives. The library was told to cease the violations and to bring charges against those responsible.

Surgut prosecutor hits at school porn
On 22 February it was reported that the Surgut district prosecutor had found that computers in the Lyaminsk high school allowed access to pornographic material. The prosecutor demanded that the school install content-filtering software to restrict students’ access to harmful websites.

Amur school instructed to block violence
On 11 February it was reported that the Bureya district prosecutor of the Amur region had found that computers in Rodionovo secondary school allowed access to sites promoting violence and brutality, drugs, pornography and anti-social behaviour. The school principal was ordered to cease the violations and bring disciplinary action against those responsible.

Kostroma post office fined
On 13 February the Kostroma region prosecutor reported that an inspection by the Mezhevsky district prosecutor had revealed that a computer in the Georgievskoe village post office allowed access to extremist materials and information on the manufacturing and use of tobacco and illegal drugs. After a court case, the post office was fined 20,000 rubles (£425).

Bashkortostan court orders school filters
On 13 February it was announced that Dyurtyuli interdistrict prosecutor in Bashkortostan had found that computers in schools provided access to websites with information on narcotics. The prosecutor demanded that the schools install filtering software and limit access to these sites, demands that were backed by a court.

School head sued on access to extremism
On 6 February it was reported that the Umetskii district prosecutor in the Tambov region had found a computer in a local high school that allowed access to extremist materials. The principal of the school was ordered to cease allowing access, and the prosecutor recommended disciplinary charges against the responsible parties.

“Students need protection” in Kineshima
On 6 February the Ivanovo regional prosecutor reported that the Kineshma prosecutor had found that computers in the city’s schools provided access to extremist materials. The schools were ordered to cease violations of anti-extremism legislation.

Salekhard school must install internet filters
On 6 February it was reported that the Salekhard city prosecutor had found that students of a secondary school were inadequately protected from harmful information: computers at the school could be used to access pornographic material, information about manufacturing explosives, and texts with foul language. The principal was ordered to install working internet filters.

Prosecutor demands protection from poetry
On 8 February it was reported that Omsukchan district prosecutor in Magadan had established that filtering software in the Omsukchan village high school was failing to prevent access to extremist materials, including Vladimir Shcherbina’s poem “Progonite zhida” (Chase Away the Jew). The school was ordered to restrict access to the extremist websites.

Extremism

Altai court orders block on 29 websites
On 25 February the Gorno-Altaisk city court upheld the demand of the Altai Republic prosecutor that the regional branch of the ISP Mobil’nye TeleSystemy limit access to 29 websites. The materials include songs on the Federal List of Extremist Materials published on 12 websites, and a book also on the list published on 17 sites. The court ordered the ISP to limit access to these materials. The decision has not yet entered into force.

Saratov prosecutor demands restrictions
On 26 February it was reported that the Leninskii district prosecutor in Saratov had identified several sites “containing public calls for extremist activities, terrorism, incitement of hatred or enmity, as well as humiliation of human dignity”. The prosecutor has ordered the regional branch of the ISP MTS to restrict access to these sites by installing IP-address filtering on its routers.

Extremist sites blocked in Smolensk
On 27 February it was reported that two websites containing extremist material had been blocked in response to a demand from the Roslavl prosecutor in the Smolensk region.

Yekaterinburg authorities block sites
On 27 February the Sverdlovsk regional appeal court considered the regional prosecutor’s appeal against the decision of the Upper Iset Yekaterinburg district court to dismiss the request of Zheleznodorozhnyi district prosecutor in Ekaterinburg to block access to four extremist websites. The appeal court overturned the original decision and ordered the ISP Telnet Service to restrict access to websites on the Federal List of Extremist Materials.

Omsk oppositionist added to register
On 27 February it was reported the administration of LiveJournal.com had blocked the account of Mikhail Yakovlev, the Omsk opposition leader. The author was notified that his page had been added to the Register of Banned Sites. According to Yakovlev, the ban could be related either to his criticism of the Sverdlovsk governor Yevgeniy Kuyvashev or to his liberal position on soft drugs.

Altai demands restrictions
On 18 February the Altai regional prosecutor announced that the Zarinsk prosecutor had identified several websites containing extremist materials and demanded that two ISPs use IP-address filtering to block them.

Kirov action against ISPs
On 18 February the Kirov district prosecutor in Samara filed 10 legal suits against ISPs demanding blocks on websites that contain extremist materials. The suits are currently being considered.

Extremist website accessed from college
On 20 February it was reported that the counterpropaganda officers of the Centre for Extremism Prevention of the Karachay-Cherkessia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs had discovered that computers at the Karachay-Cherkessia College of International Tourism and Hospitality Management in the village of Uchkeken, provided unfettered access to a website included on the Federal List of Extremist Materials. The audit results have been forwarded to the prosecutor’s office.

ISP blocks sites in Smolensk
On 11 February it was reported that in the city of Gagarin in the Smolensk region the ISP Orbit Plus partially blocked access to several sites that published Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf and other pro-Nazi texts. Last November the regional prosecutor demanded that the ISP cease violating the Law on Combating Extremist Activity.

Videos barred in Altai
On 13 February the Gorno-Altaisk city court considered a suit filed in January by the Altai republic’s prosecutor against the ISP Rostelecom demanding restrictions on access to extremist videos published via the online social network VKontakte. In the course of the trial it was established that access to the videos had been restricted prior to the start of the trial. The case was subsequently dismissed.

Islamist videos banned in Kursk
On 13 February it was reported that the Zheleznodorozhnyi district prosecutor in Kursk had found extremist materials accessible online including anti-Russian Islamist video clips and other materials aimed at undermining the constitution and justifying murders of law enforcement officers. The ISPs Aksinet and Comstar-Regiony were told to restrict access to the relevant sites and complied with the demand.

Audit of websites in Karachay-Cherkessia
On 5 February the Centre for Extremism Prevention and the FSB of the Karachay-Cherkessia republic identified a publicly accessible website containing extremist material. The audit results have been forwarded to the republic’s prosecutor.

ISP warned in Krasnodar
On 7 February the Krasnodar regional prosecutor reported that the Temryukskii district prosecutor had identified a publicly accessible website, Vilayat Dagestan – maintained by Imarat Kavkaz (“Caucasus Emirate”) organisation – publishing extremist materials. The director of the regional branch of the ISP MTS was warned about about the impermissibility of extremist activity.

Gambling and online casinos

Khanty-Mansiysk court blocks gambling
On 25 February it was reported that the Urai prosecutor in Khanty-Mansiysk autonomous district had been granted court backing to ensure that the ISP Rostelecom block access to gambling websites.

Tula prosecutor goes for pyramid scheme

On 26 February the Sovetskii district prosecutor in Tula sued the ISPs Altair Tula, MTS, RadioPeydzh-T, Tulskii Gosudarstvennyi Universitet and ER-Telecom Holding, demanding that they restrict access to sites of the MMM pyramid scheme.

Ufa prosecutor demands restrictions
On 25 February it was announced that the Sovetskii district prosecutor in Ufa had sued the ISP Ufanet demanding that it block access to 26 gambling websites.

Gambling targeted in Surgut
On 27 February the Khanty-Mansiysk autonomous district prosecutor reported that the Surgut city prosecutor had identified several illegal gambling websites. The prosecutor demanded that six ISPs restrict access.

Tula casino access barred
On 27 February it was reported that the Tsentralnyi district prosecutor in Tula had filed 33 writs against ISPs demanding restrictions on access to online casinos. The Tsentralnyi district court ordered the ISPs to comply.

Pyramid-scheme sites banned in Yamal-Nenets
On 1 March the Yamal-Nenets autonomous district prosecutor reported that the Gubkinskiy city prosecutor had identified pyramid-scheme advertising on 18 websites and that Gubkinskiy city court had accepted the prosecutor’s demand that the ISP Pursatkom restrict access to the sites.

Chita court order ISP to block pyramid schemes
On 19 February it was reported that the central district court of Chita had granted a prosecutor’s request to order the local branch of the ISP Rostelecom to restrict access to the sites of Sergei Mavrodi, the creator of pyramid schemes. The decision has not yet entered into force.

Samara bars gambling ads
On 19 February it was reported that the Neftegorsk interdistrict prosecutor in the Samara region had identified 10 sites that provided information about a pyramid scheme. The Leninskii district court of Samara accepted the prosecutor’s demand that the ISP Rostelecom limit access to these sites. The court’s decisions have not yet entered into force.

Casino sites blocked in Kaliningrad
On 20 February it was announced that the Moscovskii district prosecutor in Kaliningrad had identified two gambling websites. The ISP TIS-Dialogue agreed voluntarily to its demand that it limit access to these sites.

Computer club told to clamp down
On 21 February it was reported that Kurganinskii district prosecutor in Krasnodar had found a pyramid-scheme website to be accessible via a computer club. The prosecutor’s demands that the owner of the club restrict access were accepted by the district court.

Surgut blocks pyramid sites
On 12 February it was reported that the Surgut city prosecutor had successfully moved to restrict access to pyramid-scheme websites.

Online casinos blocked in Samara
On 13 February the Leninskii district court in Samara accepted nine demands from the Chapaevsk prosecutor for restrictions on access to online casinos. The decisions of the court have not yet entered into force.

Tula orders online casino ban
On 15 February it was reported that the Sovetskii district court of Tula had accepted prosecutors’ demands that ISPs Altair Tula, MTS, and ER-Telecom Holding block access to gambling websites.

Casinos blocked in Komi Republic
On 14 February it was reported that the Ukhta city prosecutor had been given court approval for its demand that the ISP GSP restrict access to nine gambling websites.

Drugs

Samara court blocks drug promotion
On 20 February it was announced that the Oktiabrskii district prosecutor in Samara had filed 70 writs demanding restrictions on access to websites promoting illegal drugs. Of these, 43 have been accepted by the local court and the rest are pending. Previously, on 5 February, the Kirov district prosecutor on Samara had successfully demanded restrictions on access to seven sites promoting drugs.

Cannabis sites blocked in Voronezh

On 13 February the Voronezh ISP Votek Mobile was ordered by a district court to limit access to the online cannabis seed distributor Semyanych, kacheli.my1.ru and ganzhaman.tut.by. Votek Mobile closed access to these sites.

And the rest

Move on fake diplomas site
On 8 February the Zhigulevsk city court in Samara backed the city prosecutor’s demand for restrictions on access to a website offering fake diplomas from various educational institutions. The court’s decision has not yet come into force.

Chechnya ban on Islamist TV channel
On 12 February the Leninskii district court of Grozny declared the internet TV channel Imam TV extremist. The site carries Musa Yandyrhanov’s video Napominaniie (Reminder) and talks by other members of illegal armed groups. The court said these materials promoted terrorism, contained incitement to violence against government representatives and incited hatred on religious grounds.

Block on sites giving bribery tips
On 12 February the Bashkortostan republic prosecutor announced that Sharanskii district prosecutor had identified several websites containing tips on giving bribes. The ISP Bashinformsvyaz was made to restrict access to these sites.

User group banned in St Petersburg
On 15 February it was reported that the Centralnyi district prosecutor in St Petersburg had ordered the social network VKontakte to block the user group Childfree. The prosecutor found that the group’s posts contained material violating the rights of minors. The VKontakte administration blocked the user group and deleted all its posts and blocked one user’s account.

ISP sued for posting bribery tips
On 4 February the Nefteyugansk interdistrict prosecutor identified sites containing bribery tips and filed a writ against the ISP Elektrosviazi demanding that it restrict access to these sites.

Orel blocks bribery sites
On 7 February it was reported that the Orel city prosecutor had identified several websites with tips on bribery and had been granted its demand for restrictions on access to the sites.

Post by designer added to banned list
On 5 February the popular designer Artemy Lebedev reported that the ISP Roskomnadzor had added his blog post containing an animated movie, Dumb Ways to Die, to the Register of Banned Sites. Roskomnadzor interpreted the video — a public service announcement by Metro Trains Melbourne in Australia — as promoting suicide.

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A Chronicle of Russian Internet Filtering / January 2013

January saw a dramatic escalation of internet filtering in Russia. The League for Internet Safety, an organisation backed by the Kremlin, launched an experiment in the Kostroma region in central Russia in which 29 local internet service providers signed new contracts with users, giving them access only to a sanitised internet – in other words, websites included on a “white list”. Those wishing to surf beyond the confines of the white list are required to notify their provider explicitly.

At the start of the experiment the white list included about 500,000 sites; by the end of the experiment,  scheduled for April, it is expected to include up to 1 million.

The Ministry of Communications and Mass Media has stated that it does not support the experiment and considers it unnecessary in the light of existing legislation, in which Roskomnadzor, the Federal Agency for Supervision of Telecomms, Information Technologies and Mass Communications, plays a central role.

Communications minister Nikolai Nikiforov declared: “There is only one legitimate procedure for filtering of harmful content — the one operated by our subordinate agency Roskomnadzor. If operators impose restrictions, which are not covered by the law, they violate the rights of subscribers. Moreover, our country constitutes a single indivisible information space, and a specific region can not construct its citizens’ access to information under a different set of rules.”

But the League seems to have been unaffected by this comment. Its initiative was proudly presented at the Safe Internet Forum in Moscow on 8 February, attended by Russian MPs and high-placed officials, and mentioned by a Russian representative at the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe conference Internet 2013 — Shaping policies to advance media freedom held in Vienna on 14 and 15 February.

Extremism

On 22 January the central district court of Volgograd accepted a demand from the Volgograd regional prosecutor’s office to recognise as extremist two websites that published books by the Turkish theologian Said Nursi listed on the Federal List of Extremist Materials. Once the court’s decision comes into force, the websites will also be added to the list.

It was reported on 23 January that the Ordzhonikidze district prosecutor’s office of Yekaterinburg had found a publicly accessible website featuring the lyrics of the song “Every Day, Under the Sign of Death” by the Norwegian black metal band Zyklon B and the anti-Semitic tract Poisonous Fish: Zionists and Freemasons in Japan by A Klimov, recognised by courts as extremist. The site also included several other extremist items. The prosecutor’s office filed 15 writs against the ISP AKADO-Yekaterinburg, demanding that access to this website be limited. The proceedings came to an end because of the ISP’s voluntary compliance with the prosecutor’s demands.

The Arkhangelsk regional prosecutor’s office reported on 24 January that its audit of ISPs to check compliance with anti-extremist legislation had found a publicly accessible electronic translation of the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ tract What Does the Bible Really Teach?, declared extremist by the Rostov regional court. The prosecutor filed a writ against the regional branch of the ISP VimpelCom, demanding that access to this material be blocked. The ISP voluntarily complied with the request, and the case was dropped.

On 29 January it was reported that the Dolzhansky district prosecutor’s office in the Orel region had found that the regional branch of the ISP Rostelecom was providing access to a website listed on the Federal List of Extremist Materials, and to another that contained instructions on making explosives and drugs. The prosecutor’s office filed a writ demanding that access to the identified sites be restricted. Despite the ISP’s argument that the website’s owner should be responsible for monitoring content, the district court granted the prosecutor’s request.

Gambling and online casinos

It was reported on 18 January that the Voronezh city prosecutor’s office had identified a website that could be used for online gambling. It filed writs against several ISPs, including MegaFon, Tele2, MTS and Kodotel, demanding that they limit access. The court ordered the ISPs to comply.

The Omsk regional prosecutor’s office announced on 22 January that after an audit of ISPs’ compliance with the gambling ban, the central district prosecutor’s office in Omsk had sent several demands to ISPs that access to gambling sites be restricted.

On 22 January it was announced that the Chernovsky district prosecutor’s office in Chita had identified more than a dozen publicly accessible websites that provided online casino services. The prosecutor filed a writ with the district court demanding that the local ISP limit access to the identified websites. The ISP voluntarily blocked the sites.

The prosecutor’s office in Ivanovo reported on 24 January that the Teykovo interdistrict prosecutor’s office had filed five writs against the ISP Gorizont for providing access to gambling websites. The prosecutor’s office demanded that access to these sites be blocked.

On 1 February the Tula regional prosecutor’s office announced that the prosecutor’s office of the Sovetsky district had reviewed implementation of legislation on gambling. Four writs were filed against the ISP Altair Tula demanding restrictions of access to online casinos, which were accepted by the Sovetsky district court.

On 1 February the Pskov regional prosecutor’s office announced that it had decided that the regional branch of the ISP Rostelecom was responsible for blocking access to gambling sites.

Schools, students, and a beauty salon

The Tambov regional prosecutor’s office announced on 9 January that the Oktiabrsky district prosecutor’s office had found a computer located in a beauty salon that allowed access to websites containing extremist material. The salon’s ISP, Lanta, has been instructed to cease the violations and bring disciplinary charges against those responsible.

On 14 January it was announced that the Komi Republic had launched a content filtering system for computers that provide students with access to the internet. The system covers 285 educational institutions of the republic and 150 computers used for home-schooling of children with disabilities. The goal is to prevent schoolchildren from accessing online information that “is incompatible with the objectives of education and training”. Lists of acceptable and unacceptable sites will be maintained jointly by the republic’s government and staff of educational institutions. The content filtering system is to be extended to cover all the Komi Republic schools.

It was reported on 15 January that bailiffs had ordered the management of four schools in the Kurumkansky district of Buryatia (in Kurumkan, Baragkhan and Sakhuli) to comply with court decisions on limiting students’ access to banned sites. Content filters have been installed.

On 18 January it was reported that the ministry of education and science of the Volgograd region had signed an agreement with the local branch of Rostelecom for the ISP provider to assume responsibility for filtering students’ access to websites containing dangerous material. Rostelecom provides internet access for 85 per cent of the region’s schools.

The Moscow regional prosecutor’s office announced on 18 January that the Yegoryevsk town prosecutor’s office had conducted an audit of compliance with legislation by local schools. The audit had established that in three schools in the district installed filters did not provide sufficient protection from extremist material. The prosecutor’s office has demanded that the head of the local administration ends the violations and brings disciplinary charges against those responsible.

On 21 January it was announced that the department of information technology of the Moscow city government will provide all city schools with wireless internet access by the end of February. The company that won the contract for implementation of this programme, MGTS, must also provide content filtering in order to protect students from extremist, pornographic and other harmful material.

Drugs

It was announced on 8 January that the Pervomaisky district court of Kirov had accepted the demand of the Leninsky district prosecutor’s office that the regional branch of the ISP Rostelecom block access to a website that contained information about cultivation of hemp and producing a psychoactive substance from it.

On 10 January it was announced that the Simonovsky interdistrict prosecutor’s office in Moscow had identified several websites that contained information on illegal drug distribution. The prosecutor’s office filed three writs against the ISP AMT Group Telecom, demanding that access to these websites be restricted by adding an IP-address filter on its router. The Khamovniki district court dismissed them on the grounds that restricting access to the sites would also deprive users of access to other sites. The prosecutor’s office appealed the decision. The Moscow city court subsequently reversed the district court’s judgment and ordered the provider to restrict access to the sites.

On 14 January the Kirov regional prosecutor’s office reported that a court had granted a request by the Oktyabrsky district prosecutor’s office to order the ISP Rostelecom to limit access to a website containing information about drugs and psychotropic substances. The court’s decision has not yet come into force.

On 16 January it was reported that the Berezovsky district prosecutor’s office in the Khanty-Mansiysk autonomous area (also known as Yugra) had found several publicly accessible sites that promoted illegal drugs or contained extremist or pornographic material. The prosecutor’s office filed a writ against the ISP Rostelecom demanding that access to these websites be blocked.

It was reported on 22 January that the Nizhny Novgorod regional prosecutor’s office had identified several websites that promote distribution of illegal substances. The prosecutors of Nizhegorodsky and Sovetsky districts of Nizhny Novgorod and the city prosecutor’s offices of Arzamas and Vyksun filed writs against multiple service providers, demanding that the identified websites be blocked.

And the rest…

On 3 January Roskomnadzor added the blog kazantripreport, hosted on the portal lj.rossia.org, to its register of banned sites. The creator of lj.rossia.org had agreed to remove the page on 2 January, having discussed doing so since 28 December. The notification from Roskomnadzor arrived a week after the page had been removed. The management of lj.rossia.org accused the user kazantripreport of spamming and using the resource for commercial purposes. In addition, the blog had published reviews of an illegal substance, as well as Russian translations of Philip Greave’s book The Pedophile’s Guide to Love and Pleasure: a Child-lover’s Code of Conduct.

On 6 January Roskomnadzor notified the online encyclopedia lurkmore.to that the address for one of its articles had been included on the register of banned sites. The article discussed various ways to commit suicide in a satirical manner. The management of lurkmore.to has since removed the article and intends to appeal the ban in court. Roskomnadzor had taken similar measures against the online encyclopedia on previous occasions.

On 10 January Roskomnadzor notified Ilya Dronov, the manager of SUP Media’s LiveJournal Russia project, that the blog of Rustem Agadamov had been added to the register of banned sites. Propaganda for suicide was cited as the reason for the ban. The post in question was a photo report, dated March 2012. It depicted an attempted self-immolation of a Tibetan independence activist in protest against the visit of the president of China. Access to the page has been restricted. The administration of LiveJournal Russia intends to appeal Roskomnadzor’s decision.

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A Chronicle of Russian Internet Filtering / December 2012

December provided further evidence that the Russian authorities’ prime targets in their quest to censor allegedly illegal websites are not those containing content harmful to children, as they have claimed, but those publicising “extremist” political views and offering online gambling.

In the meantime, a new trend has emerged in Russia. Institutions providing public access to the internet — schools, libraries, internet clubs and even post offices — being targeted for law enforcement agency inspections to check whether their computers had been updated to prevent access to banned websites. Quite remarkably, the inspections in schools and educational institutes checked access not only to content harmful to children and students, but also to sites deemed extremist.

Regional prosecutor’s offices have in several cases filed lawsuits against local administrations to demand that they provide funding for the installation of content filters on school computers.

Extremism

The Samara regional prosecutor’s office reported on 4 December that the Kirov district prosecutor’s office of Samara had filed seven claims against the ISP Svyazinvest, Lan-CTS, Indzhinium, and Samara-Koss. The prosecutor demanded that providers restrict access to pages containing extremist materials, including The Fortress of the Muslim by Said Wahf al-Qahtani, Prophet Muhammad Mustafa by Osman Nuri Topbas, and Council for Kings by Abu Hamid al-Ghazali. All these books are included on the Federal List of Extremist Materials. The lawsuits are pending.

On 4 December the Yoshkar-Ola city prosecutor’s office reported on the audit of compliance with the law on combating extremist activity. The inspection had found that website providing public access to The International Jew by Henry Ford, which is included on the Federal List of Extremist Materials, was accessible. The prosecutor’s office filed a court claim against the local branches of the ISPs Rostelecom, Mobile TeleSystems, ER-Telecom Holding, MegaFon and Vympel-Communications demanding that they limit access to this website. The Yoshkar-Ola city court granted the request of the prosecutor’s office.

Reports on 5 December said that Nizhneserginsky district prosecutor’s office of the Sverdlovsk region had found publicly accessible sites that contained extremist materials, including the book Who is Afraid of Russian National Socialism by AA Dobrovolski and several Islamist tracts. The prosecutor’s office filed a court claim against the ISP AtsTeleKom, demanding that it restrict access to these sites by installing IP-address filtering. The ISP voluntarily complied with the prosecutor’s request.

On 7 December it was announced that the Moscow district prosecutor’s office of Kaliningrad region, in the course of its audit of compliance with anti-extremist legislation, had found websites The Imarat Caucasus Service and The Official Site of Vilayat Dagestan, both recognised as extremist, to be publicly accessible. Based on the audit results, the prosecutor’s office filed a court claim against the ISP TIS-Dialog, demanding that access to these sites be restricted. In the course of the trial, the ISP voluntarily complied with the request of the prosecutor’s office and restricted access to these sites.

On 7 December it was reported that the Sudogodsky district prosecutor’s office of Vladimir region had in the course of its audit of compliance with anti-extremist legislation found that students in several district schools had had access to prohibited content, in particular to radical Islamists’ calls for changing the constitutional order. Directors of several schools received orders to cease the violations and to hold the perpetrators accountable. The schools installed additional filters, and the responsible parties faced disciplinary charges.

Reports from 12 December revealed that Starominsky district prosecutor’s office in Krasnodar region had found in the course of its audit that computers used for remote education of children with neurological and musculoskeletal disorders allowed access to websites containing extremist materials “and other resources, inconsistent with the objectives of education and training”, as well as access to social networks. The prosecutor concluded that the Starominsky education department inadequately monitored the implementation of the federal National Priority Project for education. An order to cease the violation and to pursue disciplinary charges against perpetrators was sent to the head of municipal education in Starominsky.

The prosecutor’s office of Samara region in Novokuibyshevsk identified on 14 December prohibited materials posted on a number of sites, including materials recognised as extremist, information about the sale of illegal drugs and smoking mixtures, information on giving bribes and ways to avoid military service. The prosecutor’s office has filed 40 lawsuits against the ISPs MIRS, NeksTellSamara, Progress-IT and TesKomVolga demanding that access to these sites be restricted. The lawsuits are pending.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Karachay-Cherkessia reported on 17 December that it had found a website featuring extremist materials to be publicly accessible at a Cherkessk internet club. The report will serve as a basis for determining an appropriate penalty for the club management and the ISP for failing to block access to the site.

On 17 December it became known that Kamchatka ISPs had received nine orders in December to cease their violations of the federal law on combating extremist activity. The orders were based on the results of a September audit by the prosecutor’s office, which had revealed the fact of public access to The Innocence of Muslims online video.

It was announced on 19 December that the Novorossiysk department of the Interior Ministry Centre for Combating Extremism for Krasnodar region filed a complaint with the prosecutor’s office relating to public accessibility in Gelendzhik of the website Vilayat Dagestan Independent Information and Analytics . The site had been recognised as extremist and included on the Federal List of Extremist Materials. Access had been provided by the local branch of the ISP MTS. The prosecutor’s office issued a warning to the ISP.

On 20 December it was reported that the Dalmatovsky district prosecutor’s office of Kurgan region had in the course of its audit had found that the ISP Rus had failed to limit access to a website recognised as extremist. The prosecutor’s office filed a court claim against the provider, requesting a court order to restrict access to the website.

On 24 December the Primorye regional prosecutor’s office announced that the Frunze district prosecutor in Vladivostok had found websites included in the Federal List of Extremist Materials to be publicly accessible. The local ISP Vladlink received an order to cease the violations of the law on combating extremist activity. The provider accepted the prosecutor’s order by restricting access to extremist websites.

Reports on 21 December said that the Yagodninsky district prosecutor’s office of Magadan region had in the course of its audit found a website was accessible that featured the Wahhabi Islamist tract The Book of Monotheism, which is included on the Federal List of Extremist Materials. Prosecutors went to court demanding that the local ISP restrict access to the website by blocking its domain name.

On 25 December it was reported that the Oktyabrsky district prosecutor’s office in Yekaterinburg had identified four sites that contained information on the distribution of drugs and advertised smoking blends.

In addition, the prosecutors identified websites that contained incitement to war and incitement to racial and religious hatred. The prosecutor’s office filed four court claims against the ISP Uralwestcom demanding that it limit access to these sites. The Kirov district court of Yekaterinburg granted the request of the prosecutor’s office in full.

On 25 December it was revealed that the prosecutor’s office of the Lev Tolstoy district of Lipetsk region had in the course of its audit of ISPs found that computer software in the information sciences lab of the Kuzovlevo village school was not preventing students from accessing sites containing extremist material. The prosecutor filed a lawsuit demanding that the ISP Rostelecom block access to extremist websites.

On 26 December The Innocence of Muslims online video, recognised as extremist by a 1 October decision of the Tver district court in Moscow, was added to the Federal List of Extremist Materials, as item 1589. The list features a YouTube address of the video. It has since been removed from the site but can still be found elsewhere on the internet.

Gambling and online casinos

It became known on 4 December that the Gvardeisky district prosecutor’s office had filed a lawsuit against Rostelecom, requesting that it restrict access to gambling websites. The trial court dismissed the lawsuit, noting that the claims had to be filed against the site owners (game organisers), and not against the ISP. The appeal court reversed the decision and granted the request of the prosecutor’s office.

On 11 December it was reported that the Verkh-Iset district prosecutor’s office of Yekaterinburg had identified several websites that conducted illegal online gambling. Access to these sites had been provided by the ISP INSIS. The prosecutor’s office went to court demanding that the ISP restrict access to these sites by installing IP-address filtering on its routers. The Oktyabrsky district court in Yekaterinburg dismissed the claim due to the voluntary compliance with the prosecutor’s request by the ISP.

Reports on 14 December said that Muravlenko city prosecutor’s office of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District had in the course of its audit identified six websites registered outside Russia and intended for online gambling. The local branch of Rostelecom received an order to cease the violations. The ISP refused to comply with the prosecutor’s request, citing lack of necessary equipment and insisting that access restrictions should be implemented by the hosting provider. Subsequently, the prosecutor’s office went to court, demanding that the local branch of Rostelecom restrict access to the identified sites. The Salekhard city court granted the request of the prosecutor’s office.

On 25 December it was reported that the Leningrad regional prosecutor’s office had filed court claims in the Volkhov district demanding that the ISPs Etalon Optic and Volkhov Online block access to sites, identified by prosecutors as illegal online casinos. The court granted the request of the prosecutor’s office

On 27 December the Novgorod regional prosecutor’s office reported that in the course of inspection it had revealed a number of online casinos. The prosecutor’s office had been to court in autumn 2012 demanding that the ISPs Alfakom and Novgorod Datacom restrict access to the identified sites by blocking their IP-addresses on its routers. In November, the court granted the prosecutor’s office claims. Subscriber access to gambling sites has been blocked.

Internet in schools, libraries and post offices

On 12 December the Tambov regional prosecutor’s office reported that articles aimed at inciting national hatred had been found to be publicly available in one of the Morshansk secondary vocational schools. The director of the school received an order to cease the violations by installing filtering rules on its routers. The prosecutor’s office also insisted on disciplinary charges.

On 13 December it was reported that Gavrilovsky district prosecutor’s office of Tambov region had, in the course of its audit of compliance with the law on combating extremist activity, identified materials recognised as extremist to be publicly accessible via the Gavrilovsky district library computer. Prosecutors demanded that the library administration restrict access to websites containing material aimed at inciting social, racial and religious hatred by installing filtering software on the library router.

It became known on 13 December that the Kirov district prosecutor’s office of Ufa region had found that the local post office computers allow access to websites containing extremist materials and instructions for manufacturing drugs. The prosecutor’s office filed a lawsuit against the post office demanding that it install content filters to block the identified sites. The court granted the request of the prosecutor’s office.

On 13 December the results of the audit of compliance with the legislation aimed at protecting children from harmful material were announced. The audit was conducted by the Pereslavl-Zalessky interdistrict prosecutor’s office. During the inspection two of the city schools were found to offer unrestricted access to the websites that contained pornography and propaganda for racial, ethnic and religious inequality. Administrative charges were brought against the principals; the head of the department of education received an order to cease the violations.

On 17 December the Tambov regional prosecutor’s office reported on an audit of compliance with anti-extremist legislation conducted by the Sosnovsky district prosecutor’s office. The audit established that computers installed in the main hall of the Sosnovka village post office provided access to a website that featured material recognised as extremist by court decisions and aimed at inciting national and religious hatred. The head of the Sosnovsky Post Office received an order to cease the violations and bring disciplinary charges against perpetrators.

Reports on 20 December said that the prosecutor’s office in Mariinsky district in Kemerovo region found in the course of inspection that, despite the installed content filters, computers in all city schools allowed users to visit sites containing extremist materials. The prosecutor’s office has sent an order to end the violations to the head of the Mariinsky district education office.

On 26 December it was reported that Iznoskovsk district prosecutor’s office of Kaluga region had in the course of inspection of the Iznoskovsk secondary school found pornographic and extremist websites to be accessible from a school computer. The prosecutor’s office filed a lawsuit against the district administration, demanding that it provide funding for the installation of content filters on school computers. In addition, the ISP Rostelecom and the school principal received orders to cease the violations.

The Tambov regional prosecutor’s office announced on 27 December its audit of the Kirsanovsky rural post office in the village of Umet. The audit revealed that the two post office computers provided access to the websites featuring material recognised as extremist. The prosecutor’s office sent an order to the head of the Kirsanovsky post office to cease the violations and to consider disciplinary charges against perpetrators.

Suicide

On 28 December it was reported that the Leninsky district prosecutor in Tambov region had filed a court claim against the Tambov branch of Rostelecom, demanding that it restrict access to websites containing information on various ways to commit suicide. The court granted the prosecutor’s request and ordered the internet service provider to limit access to these sites by installing DNS-level filtering of domain names.

Drugs

On 7 December the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous District prosecutor’s office reported that students in a school in the town of Pyt-Yakh were found to have unfettered access to a website that advertised illegal drugs and smoking mixtures. Based on the audit results, the town prosecutor’s office issued an order to the ISP Tehnoservisgrupp demanding that public access to the site be blocked.

On 13 December it was reported that the prosecutor’s office of Chapaevsk in Samara region, in the course of monitoring the internet for promotion of illegal drugs, identified several sites that advertised sales of psychotropic substances. The prosecutor’s office filed nine claims with the Leninsky district court of Samara against ISPs on 3 December, demanding that they restrict access to these sites. The claims have been accepted by the court for review.

It became known on 13 December that the court had upheld a claim by the Leninsky district prosecutor’s office of Magnitogorsk, requiring three ISPs to restrict access to an online store selling poisonous and psychotropic substances. The store website had been identified by the prosecutor’s office in the course of the internet monitoring.

On 19 December it was reported that the prosecutor’s office of Armavir had identified 21 websites containing information on the ways to manufacture and use drugs, as well as their points of sale. The city prosecutor’s office filed a lawsuit against the ISPs demanding that access to these sites be restricted.

And the rest …

Beauty salons

On 13 December it was reported that the Federal Drug Control Service had added the portal for the Meder Beauty cosmetics brand www.mederbeauty.com to the register of banned sites. The ISP Beeline blocked the site. A large number of websites were using the same IP-address, and the FDCS only had issues with one of these sites. As of 15 December the portal, once again, was accessible to public.

Forged education

On 4 December it became known that the Stavropol regional prosecutor’s office had in the course of an audit found more than 30 publicly accessible websites offering educational certificates for sale. The prosecutor’s office filed court claims against the ISPs Rostelecom and Equant, demanding that access to these sites be blocked. The court granted the request of the prosecutor’s office in full.

Wikipedia

It became known on 6 December that the Soviet district court in Orel had dismissed the prosecutor’s office claim against the ISP Resurs Svyaz, requesting to block access to Wikipedia.

The prosecutor’s office had demanded that access to the Wikipedia “Russian obscenities” page be restricted for students of School No 22. The prosecutor’s office also insisted on blocking the website for Versailles Entertainment Center, which, according to the prosecutors, was advocating the use of “laughing gas”. In the course of the trial it became clear that the plaintiff had conducted no research on whether the pages in question truly contained any prohibited content, and whether the Wikipedia page in fact contained obscenities. The ISP said that if it was forced to block this page, its clients would probably lose access to the whole of Wikipedia.

In addition, it was found that students of Orel had not been aware of these pages prior to the prosecutor’s investigation, and had never viewed them, visiting only the websites recommended by the Ministry of Education. Visits to the “Russian obscenities” Wikipedia page grew 20-fold as a result of the prosecutor’s office investigation.

The court decided to reject the request of the prosecutor’s office. The prosecutor has 30 days to appeal the decision.

Bribery

On 4 December it was announced that on 30 November Yoshkar-Ola city court had upheld the claim of the prosecutor’s office of the Republic to block access to the website that contained information “inciting corrupt behavior”. The website posted an article on “How to give a bribe” along with comments, where readers shared their respective experiences.

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A Chronicle of Russian Internet Filtering / November 2012

It became apparent in November that internet filtering introduced in Russia under the pretext of protecting children is actually for a different reason. Six videos of feminist punk group Pussy Riot were banned by the Moscow court in November, and now Google is required to remove the clips from YouTube.

At the same time, regional authorities were busy demanding that local Internet Service Providers(ISPs) to block access to online casinos, gaming sites and sites advertising fake diplomas — obviously the result of November’s new development.

As in October, many websites were deemed to be extremist, and local ISPs were requested to block access to them. Libraries were criticised for having computers with unrestricted access to banned websites, and it was requested that they install internet filtering systems. The authorities started a campaign to check how effective schools are protecting children from improper content. As a result, schools were obliged to install content-filtering systems.

And, inevitably, only a month after the national register of banned websites was launched numerous errors were reported: by mistake the whole of Google’s blogging service Blogger (blogspot.com) was included in the register, along with anonymiser service and even YouTube, which was on the register for a few hours.

On 29 November, a Moscow district court demanded the removal of six videos of Pussy Riot from the web, for being “extremists”, including a video of three members performing a “punk prayer” on the altar of Moscow’s Christ the Saviour Cathedral in February 2012, in protest of Vladimir Putin. Three Pussy Riot members, Nadia Tolokonnikova, Yekaterina Samutsevich and Maria Alyokhina were sentenced to two years in prison for hooliganism motivated by religious hatred. Samutsevich was released from prison after she appealed her case.

The court decision lists the IP addresses which should be added to the national register — including YouTube, Pussy Riot’s blog, and their page on LiveJournal.

Here is a list of what was filtered in November:

Commerce and Gambling

On 14 November the Prosecutor’s Office of Karbardino-Balkaria reported that it had carried out an audit of compliance with legislation on higher professional education, and in the process prosecutors found publicly available websites offering educational documents for sale, including diplomas, certificates, authorisations and verifications letters. The prosecutors filed claims in court, requesting that access to the website be restricted.

On 21 November,  the General Prosecutor’s Office of the Russian Federation announced that the Ust-Ilimsk Interdistrict Prosecutor’s office found sites advertising Sergei Mavrodi’s “MMM-2012” project. Prosecutors called for ISPs to block websites promoting the project, on the grounds that it “possesses attributes of a pyramid scheme”. The court approved the request.

On 27 November it was reported that the Prosecutor’s office in the Lahdenpohja district of Karelia conducted an audit to ensure compliance with a ban on online gambling, and found publicly accessible online gambling sites, with electronic payment systems. The Prosecutor’s Office filed a claim with the Lahdenpohja District court against the local ISP aiming to limit access to the sites.

Also on 27 November, the prosecutor’s office in the Ardon district of North Ossetia reportedly carried out an audit to ensure compliance with the ban on online gambling, and found that users were still able to access such sites. The prosecutor’s office then filed 15 court claims against the Internet provider Rostelecom, demanding that it restrict access to these sites. The lawsuit is pending.

Schools

On 12 November The Kostroma Regional Prosecutor Office announced that the Pyschugskii District Prosecutor’s Office had conducted an inspection to verify compliance with the anti-extremist legislation in educational institutions. The audit found that in several district schools the content filters failed to block students’ access to extremist materials.

Following the audit, five motions were sent out to the school directors regarding the impermissibility of violating the law. Based on the results of the subsequent review, seven people faced disciplinary charges.

In November the Kaluga Regional Prosecutor’s Office, in the course of an audit of compliance with legislation on countering extremism, identified several educational institutions that used no content filtering software. In particular, the students of Obninsk Industrial Technical School had access to materials that contained propaganda of racial and ethnic intolerance.

Similar violations were identified in Kaluga, and Ferzikovskii, Baryatinskii, Medynskii, Yukhnovskii, Zhukovskii, Peremyshlskii, Suhinichskii, Kirovskii and Lyudinovskii Districts.

Based on the results of the audit, 27 protests and 31 court claims have been filed this year, and 23 officials have faced disciplinary liability. All of the violations have been addressed.

On 30 November it was reported that the Elets District Prosecutor’s Office had conducted an inspection of educational institutions in order to verify their compliance with the legislation aimed at protecting children from harmful information. Violations were found at several schools, including schools in the village of Talitsa, towns of Yeletskii, Sokolie and Solidarnost’, and the village of Ekaterinovka. The Internet filtering software in those schools had failed to block dangerous materials. As a result, students had been able to access web sites that contained incitement to extremist activities, instructions on smoking implements, and information on methods to commit suicide.

The school directors received requests to cease violations. Those responsible have faced disciplinary charges.

Extremism

In early November, Lipetsk Regional Prosecutor’s Office reported that the Soviet District Prosecutor’s Office of Lipetsk had conducted an audit of compliance with the legislation on countering extremist activity and identified some schools that provided access to extremist materials.

In particular, it was found that Lipetsk State Technical University students had access to the writings by Adolf Hitler. The items, featured on the Federal List of Extremist Materials were also available to students of Vocational School ¹ 2.

The Prosecutor’s office asked the court that the Lipetsk branch of Rostelecom restrict access to these materials. The court granted the request of the Prosecutor’s Office.

On 6 November the ruling by the Tver Court of Moscow came into effect that recognized The Innocence of Muslims Video as extremist. There were no appeals, and now the movie is to be included on the Federal List of Extremist Materials.

Errors and others

The “blacklist” of illegal materials also came to include the 4chan.org imageboard – a popular resource for anonymous publication and discussion of images. The reasons for its inclusion on the register are unknown.

During the first two weeks of its existence, 180 web pages were added to the Register of prohibited sites, 41 of which were to be blocked. Among other resources, the list of prohibited materials came to include Russia’s largest torrent tracker Rutracker.org, the lib.rus.ec digital library, the online encyclopedia Lurkmore.to, and one of the pages from the VKontakte social network. Rutracker.org was added to the list for distributing the Suicide Encyclopedia; Vkontakte for a page by the “Russian Breivik”; lib.rus.ec – for publishing The Anarchist Cookbook; and Lurkmore.to  for allegedly promoting drugs.

On 12 November through 14 November, 21 items were deleted from the Register, including the above-named sites.

On 21 November, YouTube temporarily appeared on the list, but was removed after only a few hours. Roskomnadzor reported that the website had removed objectionable content in a timely manner, but still ended up on the list due to a technical failure.

In addition, the anonymizer service hangonet.dyndns.org/proxy and its IP-address 199.187.177.134 were added to the Register. This service allows the user to hide his or her IP-address in order to gain access to blocked sites. Notably, the “black list” contains the URL of the service, which leads to a different resource instead of the principal address of the service.

In late November, the IP address of the Blogspot.com blogging service was included on the register of sites that contain information, distribution of which is prohibited in the Russian Federation. Roskomnadzor included it on the register on November 24 at the initiative of the Federal Service for Drug Control. This address also holds Google fonts, Chrome browser plug-ins, and Gmail file attachments.

Google management reported that it had received no notification regarding inappropriate information and was unable to remove it in a timely manner, since the Roskomnadzor’s notification had been mistakenly sent to a different address.

The IP-address for Blogspot.com has since been taken off the register, but during its time on the list Google users complained about the loss of some Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Play functionality.

Source: Agentura.Ru

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Internet-filtering. October 2012

Àíäðåé 08.11.2012

A Chronicle of Russian Internet Filtering / October 2012

Religion

In October of 2012, many Regional Prosecutor’s Offices continued to issue warnings to Internet providers for not blocking access to “The Innocence of Muslims,” despite the fact that the October 1 decision by the Tver District Court of Moscow to recognize the video as extremist did not come into effect until October 17.
— On October 1, warnings were issued by the Prosecutor’s Offices of the Astrakhan, Kaluga, Kostroma, and Tomsk and Krasnodar regions.
— On October 2, warnings were issued by the Office of Public Prosecutor of the Republic of Mordovia.
— On October 4, warnings were issued by the Prosecutor’s Office of the Jewish Autonomous Region.
— On October 5, warnings were issued by the Prosecutor’s Office of the Samara Region.
— On October 8, the Prosecutor’s Office of Bashkiria made a corresponding motion and on — On October 9, the Prosecutor’s Office of Sterlitamak (Bashkortostan) and the City Prosecutor’s Office of Tula issued warning to providers regarding the video.

— On October 12, 2012, the Astrakhan Regional Prosecutor’s Office filed five claims with Astrakhan district courts requesting that providers restrict access to the 45 addresses through which “The Innocence of Muslims” was available.  The Tver Court of Moscow had declared this film to be extremist, but the court decision was still not in effect at that time. 

— On October 16, the Prosecutor's Office of the Ivanovo Region issued warnings to the Internet provider companies Svyaz-Contract and AiDiSi.
— On October 17, the decision by the Tver Court of Moscow to recognize the Innocence of Muslims video as extremist came into effect.

— The same day, the Prosecutor's Office in Chelyabinsk issued warnings to 15 region’s Internet providers for failing to block the video.
A District Prosecutor's Office in Stavropol Region Issues Orders to Block Several Web Sites

On October 1, 2012, it was reported that the Prosecutor’s Office of the Ipatovsk district in the Stavropol Region found a violation in the course of its audit.  Public access was being provided to the site, containing the text of Abu Hamid al-Ghazali’s Council for Kings, a medieval theological treatise included on the Federal List of Extremist Materials.  The same audit revealed that several Web sites contained information for obtaining a fake driver's license without training or examinations.
The Prosecutor's Office filed four court claims against Internet provider Rostelecom, demanding it limit access to these sites.

In the Ivanovo Region, Upon Request from Federal Security Service Directorate, the Prosecutor Demands Restrictions on Access to Jehovah's Witness Web sites

On October 1, 2012, it was reported that the Prosecutor’s Office of the Soviet District in the Ivanovo Region had conducted an audit, upon request from Federal Security Service Directorate, and identified two publicly accessible Jehovah's Witnesses Web sites.  These Web sites contained electronic editions of publications previously declared to be extremist by a court decision. The Prosecutor's Office issued warnings to the Internet provider Interkomtel regarding the violation of anti-extremist legislation.  It has requested that access to these materials be restricted.

Extremism

The Vladivostok Prosecutor's Office Ordered Internet Providers to Block Access to a Leaflet Not Yet Declared Extremist

On October 11, 2012, it was reported that during an inspection the Vladivostok Prosecutor's Office found a publicly accessible online leaflet with content that was "hostile, aggressive and humiliating toward the Jews."  The Prosecutor’s Office filed a claim with the Lenin District Court in order to block access to the Web site which posted the leaflet, but the motion was denied. The board on civil cases of the Primorye Regional Court overturned this decision, finding that the Prosecutor’s request was an extremism-preventing measure. An appellate court ordered major regional Internet providers to restrict access to said material.

 Note that the leaflet in question has never been legally declared extremist.

 The Prosecutor's Office in the Irkutsk Region Ordered Internet Providers to Block Access to Extremist Web Sites

On October 11, 2012, it was reported that the City Prosecutors Office of Shelekhov in the Irkutsk Region has conducted an audit of compliance with anti-extremist legislation. During the inspection they found the Web site of a banned organization within access to the public.  This Web site contained texts included on the Federal List of Extremist Materials which were aimed at inciting national and religious hatred, and contained justifications of terrorism. As a result of the audit, ten regional Internet providers received warnings with orders to cease the violation.  Upon the prosecutor’s orders, access to the extremist Web site has been blocked. 

A District Prosecutor's Office in Ufa Issues Requests to Limit Student Access to Extremist Materials

October 15, 2012, it was reported that the Prosecutor’s Office of Ufa’s Demski District filed court claims against several educational institutions, where, as established in the course of inspection, students were able to get online access to extremist materials. The Prosecutor’s Office demanded that the management of these institutions install software that restricts access to these materials.

Web Sites in the Stavropol Region Are Blocked for Publishing The Russian World Order

 On October 16, 2012, a report was released regarding the April 24, 2012 decision of the Petrovsky District Court of the Stavropol Region to grant the request of the Petrovsky District Prosecutor’s Office to order the Internet provider Adopt Plus to restrict access to Web sites containing the electronic version of Yuri Petukhov’s The Russian World Order.  This book is included on the Federal List of Extremist Materials.

On the same day, we found out about the May 4, 2012 decision of the Arzgir District Court of the Stavropol Region to recognize a Web site as extremist for posting information on manufacturing explosives.  Dissemination of such information is now prohibited.

An Internet Service Provider in the Belgorod Region Received a Court Order to Restrict Access to Extremist Materials

 On October 17, 2012, it was announced that Shebekino Interdistrict Prosecutor's Office of the Belgorod Region filed a lawsuit against the Internet provider Rostelecom, demanding that it restrict access to 14 sites that have posted materials included on the Federal List of Extremist Materials.  The court granted the claim of the Prosecutor's Office and ordered the service provider to install filtering software.

Access to a Number of Web Sites Restricted in the Tver Region

On October 17, 2012, it was reported that the Shakhovsky District Prosecutor’s Office of the Tver Region found in the course of inspection that a publicly accessible Web site contained Chernaya Gvardiia Gitlera [Hitler’s Black Guard], a book listed on the Federal List of Extremist Materials. 

In addition, some sites were providing links to online casinos, where users could take part in gambling, including the use of bank cards.

Based on the results of the audit, the Prosecutor's Office filed two claims requesting that access to the offending Web sites be restricted. Providers were asked to install DNS-level filtering of domain names.  Due to the voluntary compliance by the Internet provider Technologii Domovykh Setei [Home Network Technologies], the hearing of the claim was terminated.

As a Result of the Prosecutor’s Claim, a Perm Internet Provider Blocked Access to Mein Kampf

On October 18, 2012, it became known that the Leninsky District Prosecutor’s Office in the city of Perm filed a claim against a local provider, requesting to restrict access to Web sites, posting the text of Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf. The Leninsky District Court of Perm granted the request of the Prosecutor's Office. The provider has blocked access to the text, recognized as extremist.

 Other Internet service providers operating in the city put no restrictions on access to Mein Kampf

Prosecutors in the Saratov Region Require Internet Providers to Block 20 Web Sites 

On October 22, the Saratov Regional Prosecutor’s Office filed 20 court claims against Internet providers requiring them to restrict access to 20 Web sites containing extremist material.  On these sites the Prosecutor's Office had identified materials containing calls for extremist activities, terrorism, or incitements toward hatred or enmity.

The North Ossetia Prosecutor’s Office Moves to Restrict Access to 33 Sites

 On October 22, 2012, the North Ossetia Prosecutor's Office reported that it had required Internet providers Rostelecom, Global Alania, and Twingo Telecom to restrict access to 33 sites containing texts included on the Federal List of Extremist Materials. These materials had been identified during audits for compliance with the law on combating extremist activity.  The Prosecutor's Office demanded that these providers install IP-address filtering on their border routers.

The Yamalo- Nenets Autonomous District Prosecutors Demand Access Restrictions for 6 Sites

On October 23, 2012, the Nenets Autonomous District Prosecutor’s office, in the course of an audit for compliance with the law on combating extremist activity, found sites included on the Federal List of Extremist Materials to be publicly accessible. Therefore, the Prosecutor's Office filed claims in the October District Court against the Arkhangelsk branch of the Internet provider Rostelecom, requiring it to block access to the following sites: "Imarata Kavkaz," "Vilaiata Dagestan," "Veles Sloboda," "Partiia Bor’by za Narodnoe Schastie” [Party of the struggle for the people's happiness], and “historical and journalistic resources of the recipient of the ‘Hero of the Nation’ order.” 

The Orel Regional Prosecutor’s Office Requests to Restrict Student Access to Anti-Semitic Material

On October 24, 2012, Liven Interdistrict Prosecutor's Office demanded that Rostelecom block a Web site featuring Oray Volot’s book Krysolyudi, which is included on the Federal List of Extremist Materials.  In the course of inspection, the prosecutors found that students of Uspenskaya High School had access to this anti-Semitic book. 

A Prosecutor in St. Petersburg Restricts Access to a Number of Extremist Web Sites

On October 25, 2012, the Krasnogvardeisky District Prosecutor's Office of Petersburg filed claims against Internet providers Infotech and Aikonet, requesting that each provider restrict access to a number of Web sites identified during the inspection to contain public calls to extremist activity or terrorism, or incitements to racial, national or religious hatred. The Prosecutor’s office also demanded restricted access to the Web sites of several banned organizations. The court granted the claim of the Prosecutor's Office in full. 

Similar charges were filed by the Prosecutor’s Offices of Admiralteiskii, Kirovskii, Petrogradskii, Primorski, Pushkinskii and Tsentralnyi Districts of St. Petersburg.  In addition, the Prosecutor’s Offices of Admiralteiskii, Vasilievskii, Vyborgskii, Krasnoselskii, Krasnogvardeyskii, Moskovskii, Nevskii, Petrogradskii, Petrodvoretskii, and Primorskii districts made 59 motions, 21 warnings, and presented 69 petitions requesting that in the case of secondary school students, restrictions be placed on accessibility to extremist sites and sites with information on making improvised explosive devices.

Libraries and Wikipedia

"Lib.rus.ec" Internet Library is Blocked in Altai

On October 3, 2012, it was reported that by request of the Prosecutor's Office of the Altai Republic, providers blocked access to the popular Internet library Lib.rus.ec. The Prosecutor's Office did not demand a restriction of the entire resource, only access to extremist materials. However, providers were technically unable to block individual pages and closed access to the entire library.  This restriction was done "voluntarily, without court intervention.”

A Prosecutor in Orel is Trying to Block Wikipedia 

On October 22, 2012, it became known that the Soviet District Prosecutor’s Office in Orel filed a lawsuit against the Internet provider Resurs Svyaz.  It required a restriction of access to the Wikipedia page on “Russian obscenities” for students of one of the city's schools, citing the use of “obscene words.” The Prosecutor’s Office also requested that access to the Web site for Versailles Entertainment Center be restricted for advocating the use of “laughing gas.”  A representative from Resurs Svyaz, commenting on the Prosecutor’s demand, wrote on his blog that the provider does not have the technical capabilities to block specific pages, so it will be forced to restrict access to the entire Wikipedia site by its IP-address. The provider has not yet come to a final decision regarding these Internet resources. 

Anti-drugs compaign

The Surgut Court Issued a Decision to Block Web Sites for Pro-Drug Propaganda

On October 15, 2012, it was reported that the District Prosecutor’s Office of Surgut, as a result of its audit of compliance with the law on combating illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, filed a lawsuit against the Internet provider Yugratel. The prosecutors sought to limit access to several Web sites that advertised drugs and psychotropic substances. The Surgut City Court granted the request of the Prosecutor's Office in full.

The City of Chapaevsk in the Samara Region Moves to Restrict Access to Web sites that Promote Drug Use.

In October 18, 2012, it became known that the Lenin District Court granted two claims, filed by the Chapayevskiy District Prosecutor’s Office, to restrict access to sites that promoted the use of drugs and psychotropic substances. The Prosecutor's Office monitors their compliance with the court judgment.

… And the rest

Access to MMM Company Web Sites Are Restricted in Tomsk and the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous District

On October 10, 2012, it was announced that the Nefteyugansk Interdistrict Prosecutor's Office filed a claim against the Internet provider Nefteyuganskii Zavod po Remontu Radiotelevizionnoi Apparatury [Nefteyugansk Radio and Television Sets Repair Factory]. It requested that the provider restrict access to the Web sites "MMM-2011" and "MMM-2012." An inspection conducted by the Prosecutor’s Office found that these Web sites, owned by Sergey Mavrodi, offered financial services to citizens, despite the fact that the advertised projects were not registered as legal entities. Nefteyuganskii Zavod po Remontu Radiotelevizionnoi Apparatury complied with the Prosecutor’s request and restricted access to the aforementioned Web sites by adding an IP-address filter at its border router.

On October 12, 2012, we received information about a similar situation in the Tomsk region.  The Tomsk Prosecutor’s Office filed a claim against an Internet provider in order to restrict access to the "MMM-2011" Web site, which was found to possess attributes of a pyramid scheme.  In the course of the court deliberations, the provider has agreed to block access voluntarily.

Upon Request of the Stavropol Regional Prosecutor's Office, a Court Ordered Providers to Restrict Access to Pro-Suicide Web Sites

On October 10, 2012, the October District Court granted the petition of the Stavropol Regional Prosecutor's Office to restrict access to Web sites that contain pro-suicide propaganda. In order to abide by the court’s decision, the Stavropol branches of Internet providers Rostelecom and Equant are required to set up content filters. 

The Case of Blocking 20 Web Sites in the Rostov Region Goes for a New Trial

On October 20, 2012, it was announced that the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation had granted an appeal from the Prosecutor General’s Office, sending the case against the Rostov branch of Internet provider Rostelecom to a new trial.  

 In 2011, the Prosecutor’s Office requested the court require the provider to block 20 sites that posted information detailing various ways to commit suicide.  In September of that year, the Leninsky District Court of Rostov-on-Don granted the claim, but the provider managed to appeal the decision.  A panel of civil case judges of the Rostov Regional Court reversed the District Court’s decision.  The Regional Prosecutor's Office appealed to the Prosecutor General's Office, with a motion to submit an appeal to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court invalidated the decision made by the panel of judges of the regional court and ordered a new panel of appeal judges to hold a retrial. 

The battles over the Register

The Ministry of Communications Suggested That Internet Companies Maintain a Register of Banned Sites on Their Own

On October 12, 2012, the Ministry of Communications held a meeting with representatives of the Russian Association of Electronic Communications (RAEC), consisting of the largest Internet companies. The meeting was devoted to an upcoming entry into force of law (starting November 1) on blocking access to Web sites which disseminate banned information. The Ministry of Communications has proposed that Internet companies along with "civil society representatives" and "other respected people" should form an organization, charged with maintaining a register of banned Web sites. 

Representatives of major Internet companies expressed no desire to participate in such an organization. In particular, Marina Zhunich, the Google Russia Director for Cooperation with Authorities noted that in this case, they would have to enter IP-addresses and domain names into the list of banned Web sites.  The companies "were opposed to this blocking method, which can restrict all access to an otherwise legitimate site." In her opinion, the registry should be maintained by the state.  Internet companies could then join the Community Council, which would monitor enforcement of the law. 

Roskomnadzor Came to a Decision Regarding the Place to Publish the List of Banned Web Sites

On October 26, 2012, Federal Service for Supervision in the Sphere of Telecom, Information Technologies and Mass Communications (Roskomnadzor) announced that the list of Web sites containing banned information was going to be posted on zapret-info.gov.ru.

On November 1, 2012, the Federal Law "On Protection of Children from Information Harmful to Their Health and Development" comes into force.  This law mandates the creation of a "single register for domain names and site network address for the identification of sites that contain information, distribution of which is prohibited in the Russian Federation"(EAIS register). 

Until a party is determined to be permanently responsible for maintaining the register, the responsibility for maintaining it falls to Roskomnadzor.  Portal zapret-info.gov.ru will send notifications to providers hosting Web sites included on the register.

 Roskomnadzor stated, "After three days from the moment of notification, during which the owner of the site and/or the hosting provider must act under the laws of the Russian Federation to remove the prohibited information and/or restrict access to the site...Roskomnadzor will inspect the corresponding domain name and/or Internet address of a site for the presence of prohibited content.”

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Internet-filtering End of September 2012

Àíäðåé 09.10.2012 17:25:00

Internet filtering in Russia


MONITORING End of September 2012

In the Perm Region a court has restricted student access to some online resources 

On September 4, 2012, it was reported that the Prosecutor’s Îffice of Kungur in the Perm region discovered that one of the city schools allowed unrestricted access to online resources, which contained information related to propaganda of war, incitement of religious and ethnic hatred, smoking mixtures, drugs and pornography.

The Prosecutor's Office filed charges requesting restrictions against students’ access to these materials. The court has granted the Prosecutor's Office request.

Roskomnadzor issued a warning to a news website for an anti-Muslim article

On September 21, 2012, the Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media (Roskomnadzor) announced that a warning has been issued to Newsland.ru news website for the article by R. Khalilov "Muslims have shown that they are uncivilized” (http://www.newsland.ru/news/detail/id/1037668 /).
The article contains insulting remarks against Muslims and accuses them of involvement in the attacks of 9/11.

The test has confirmed that that in Moscow this website is no longer available.


In the Sverdlovsk Region a prosecutor demanded restrictions on access to an extremist video
On September 24, 2012, it was reported that the Prosecutor’s Office of Asbest city in the Sverdlovsk Region has conducted an assessment of compliance with the anti-extremist legislation, in the course of which they discovered the video "Message from the Slavic Union soldiers to the Russian people" publicly accessible via the Internet. This video is included in the Federal List of Extremist Materials as containing information aimed at inciting hatred.
The Prosecutor's Office filed a claim with the Asbest City Court against the internet provider INTERSAT in order to block access to the video. The case was soon dismissed due to voluntary compliance with the Prosecutor’s request by the provider. 

In the Moscow Region providers blocked an extremist website upon request from the Prosecutor’s Office
On September 25, 2012, it was announced that the City Prosecutor’s Office of Ramenskoe in the course of assessment found the http://www.islamdin.com/ website, recognized as extremist in 2010, to be publicly available.

The Prosecutor’s Office asked the court to demand that the internet providers INTELSEK, AVIEL and Oscar Plus blocked access to the site. The case was soon dismissed due to voluntary compliance with the Prosecutor’s request.

In Kirov a site was recognized as extremist for publishing a previously banned brochure.
On September 26, 2012, it was announced that the City Prosecutor’s Office of Kirov in the course of assessment found a brochure The Russian Orthodox Church and the Modern Pre-Antichrist Era. The Religious Concept of the Russian Orthodox Church, added to the Federal List of Extremist Materials in 2009, to be publicly available.

The Prosecutor’s Office filed charges with the Pervomaiskii District Court of Kirov that the website should be recognized as extremist. The court has granted the Prosecutor's Office request. The name of the website that was recognized as extremist has not been reported.

The website Ispovednik.com had been previously recognized as extremist for publishing the same brochure.

Access to the Jehovah's Witnesses website has been blocked in Ulan-Ude

On September 28, 2012, it was announced that the Soviet District Court of Ulan-Ude orderd internet providers Rostelecom, MegaFon", VimpelCom, TransTeleCom Company, Synterra, and Baikalwestcom to block access to the Jehovah's Witnesses website http://www.jw.org.

Back in May 2012, the regional prosecutor's office found in the course of assessment that this wesite features the book What Does the Bible Really Teach? included in the Federal List of Extremist Materials. Therefore, the prosecutor's office filed a lawsuit in order to restrict access to this website.
In December 2011 the same Soviet District Court banned access to http://www.watchtower.org, another website of this religious organization. 

The court in Grozny ordered restrictions on the distribution of the "Innocence of Muslims" video

 On September 28, 2012 it became known that the Leninsky District Court of Grozny issued a ruling banning the distribution of the "Innocence of Muslims" video, which the Moscow Prosecutor's Office is seeking to ban as extremist. "Prior to the court decision on the current civil case coming into force, there is a need for measures to put a stop on any form of distribution of the "Innocence of Muslims" video, previously accessible online on the VK.COM/video page of Youtube video hosting site, via the Internet or any other sources" the text of the definition states. The court session was attended by representatives of the largest regional providers.

Meanwhile, on September 27, 2012 it was announced that three of the largest mobile and Internet service providers, MTS, Beeline and Megaphone, restricted access to the "Innocence of Muslims" video. Beeline is currently blocking access to the websites that posted the video, so in Chechnya, Dagestan, Kabardino-Balkaria, Ingushetia, Karachay-Cherkessia, North Ossetia and the Stavropol Region there is no access to .ru or .com versions of YouTube. MTS is blocking access only to the video itself; MegaFon does the same. 

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Internet-filtering September 2012

Àíäðåé 08.10.2012 22:16:00

Internet filtering in Russia:

MONITORING. Mid-September

The Prosecutor General's Office and Roskomnadzor require internet providers to restrict access to the video, not yet recognized as extremist.

On September 17, 2012, the Prosecutor General's Office of the Russian Federation has filed a lawsuit with Moscow Tver District Court to recognize as extremist the film Innocence of Muslims.  On September 19, despite the fact that the lawsuit had not even been brought to court, let alone receiving a verdict, the Deputy Prosecutor General Viktor Grin sent instructions to the regional prosecutor's offices, ordering them to block access to Web sites that posted the video.

On the same day, the Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media (Roskomnadzor) addressed the communication providers and the journalistic community in a letter, which "strongly recommended" restricting access to the video even “not waiting for the court judgment."
On September 19, 2012 Roskomnadzor branches in the regions of Altai, Perm, Primorye , Khakassia, Novosibirsk, Saratov, and Tomsk called on internet providers to block access to  "Innocence of Muslims" video. A day later, Roskomnadzor branches in Kaliningrad, Kemerovo and Chelyabinsk regions came forth with similar recommendations.

Regional prosecutors require internet providers to block access to Innocence of Muslims video.

Starting on 19 September 2012, the regional prosecutor’s offices, in compliance with instructions issued by the Prosecutor General's Office to limit access to Innocence of Muslims video, started giving warnings to internet providers for violating the Law on Countering Extremist Activity, and requested that they block access to the video.

Note that the Prosecutor General's Office of the Russian Federation filed a lawsuit with Moscow Tver District Court to recognize Innocence of Muslims as extremist on September 17, and it has not been brought to court, meaning, the warnings are being issued for the publication of material, which has not been recognized as extremist.

On September 19 the regional prosecutors of Omsk Region, the prosecutors of Altai, Ingushetia, and Khakassia, Kabardino-Balkaria and Chechnya Republics issued warnings to local internet providers.

On September 20 similar warnings came from St. Petersburg Prosecutor's Office, and the prosecutors of  Republic of Buryatia, the regional prosecutors of Khanty-Mansi, Chukotka, Kamchatka, Stavropol, Khabarovsk, Belgorod, Kemerovo, Murmansk, Novgorod, and Ryazan regions, and Teykov Inter-district Prosecutor's Office of the Ivanovo region.
On September 21 the warnings were issued by the prosecutors of the Republic of Udmurtia, Primorye, Kaluga, and Kursk regions, and the North-West Federal District.

 

The Prosecutor’s Office in Khabarovsk Krai issues a request to restrict access to the books by Goebbels.

On September 6, 2012, it became known that the Prosecutor’s Office of Khabarovsk Krai had filed eight lawsuits requesting providers to restrict access to information.
The formal reason was the prosecutor's audit of compliance with the Law On Countering Extremist Activity. In the course of the inspection several items legally recognized as extremist materials were found to be publicly available.

In particular, the books in question were "The Diaries of Joseph Goebbels, 1945," andSS Member and the Blood Question:.  The prosecutor’s office demanded that the provider, VimpelCom, Ltd, restricted access to the books.

The Khabarovsk Central Court granted the request from the prosecutor's office requiring providers to restrict access to the books.

It has been reported that similar claims were filed against internet providers Redkom-Internet, Prestige-Internet, and Vostoktelecom.

On September 11, 2012 it was reported that Nadym Municipal Court in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District District ordered the local branch of Rostelecom to restrict access to sites narod.ru and zhurnal.lib.ru upon request from the Prosecutor's Office of Nadym. An inspection, conducted by the Prosecutor’s Office revealed that these sites contained materials included on the Federal List of Extremist Materials.

As a result, the local provider VKS-Internet blocked access to all the resources from the lib.ru and narod.ru domains, including the Samizdat magazine of Maksim Moshkov’s Library, the oldest Russian online library.

The access was blocked by filtering out the IP-address on the border router.
On September 20, 2012 it was reported that the Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Tatarstan issued a warning to the head of the VKontakte social network about the impermissibility of violating the anti-extremist legislation.  An inspection, jointly conducted by the Prosecutor's office and the Center to combat extremism of Tatarstan’s Ministry of Interior, has revealed that the social network included the National Bolsheviks of Tatarstan user group with 157 members.

The Prosecutor's office reminded that the National-Bolshevik Party of Russia was banned in Russia as extremist in 2007.

In compliance with the prosecutor's office request the access to the "National Bolsheviks of Tatarstan" page has been blocked. 

The Stavropol Prosecutor’s office orders providers to limit access to websites that promote suicide
On September 21, 2012 it was reported that the Prosecutor’s office of the Stavropol Region found during inspection that major regional providers, including the branches of  VimpelCom, Rostelecom and Ekvant companies, provided access to suicide-promoting materials.
According to the examination, conducted by the Bureau of linguistic expertise of Stavropol State University, several sites, with unspecified names contained suicide propaganda and detailed descriptions of the different ways to commit suicide.

Therefore, the Prosecutor's Office filed claims with Lenin District Court and the October District Court of Stavropol, requesting that the courts require providers to restrict access to these sites by utilizing content filters on their border routers.

Source: Agentura.Ru

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