Russia has blocked the website of the OVD-Info protest group Censorship News

The communications watchdog is taking action against the OVD-Info “foreign agent” against the Kremlin’s crackdown on dissent.

Russia’s communications chief has blocked the website of the infamous OVD-Info protest monitor, a group that says Moscow continues to pursue a crackdown on dissent after a ruling.

The OVD-Info, which has been documenting protests against the Kremlin for many years and providing legal assistance to victims of political persecution, said on Saturday Roskomnadzor The media regulator moved to restrict access to its site earlier this week.

“We have not received any notification at this time and we do not know the reason for the block,” the group said.

It came on December 20 after a Moscow district court ruled in favor of blocking ovdinfo.org, the Russian Interfax news agency reported.

The website currently displays a message stating that access is restricted under a federal law on information, information technology and data protection.

In September this year, Russia declared OVD-Info in December 2011 in the first mass protests against the rule of President Vladimir Putin. a “foreign agent” is designed to stifle dissent in a move that critics say.

With the negative connotations of the Stalin era, entities or individuals identified as “foreign agents” must leave a note along with all their text, video, and social media posts.

Restriction on independent media, political opposition

Moscow has recently designated several outlets as “foreign agents,” according to authorities, who say they are foreign-funded organizations engaged in political activity.

The appointment has been used mainly against journalists, and the list of individuals and news items of the Ministry of Justice rose from 17 to 103 at the beginning of the year for Saturday.

Critics have highlighted the decision of Putin’s most prominent domestic opponent, Alexey Navalny, to launch repression to return to Russia in January, also disbanded the Russian opposition and banned several independent media and rights organizations completely.

The 45-year-old was recovering from a near-fatal poisoning attack on Putin in Germany – a claim the Kremlin has repeatedly denied.

Navalny returned home and was soon jailed for old fraudulent charges and has since been banned from his organization as an “extremist” and all his main allies are fleeing Russia.

Asked about the crackdown on Thursday, Putin said he aimed to reduce foreign influence.

“I remind you of what our opponents have been saying for centuries: Russia cannot be defeated, it can only be destroyed from within,” he told reporters at an annual marathon press conference.

Putin added that this month there was an internal dissent that led to the collapse of the Soviet Union 30 years ago.