Navalny’s blog was blocked because the materials posted there were found to contain calls to participate in mass events held in violation of the established procedure, the Prosecutor General’s Office explained in response to an inquiry from Vedomosti. ... According to the agency’s explanation, the actual calls appeared in the public VKontakte (Russian social network) group “War on Corruption — Support for Alexei Navalny”. From the photos and videos posted in the group, it was “apparent that during the events being held, resistance was being offered to the lawful demands of police officers,” and the materials on Navalny’s blogs had a “shared thematic focus” with such calls and shaped “an opinion about the acceptability of the above-mentioned actions,” which makes it possible to classify them as unlawful calls as well. But the Prosecutor General’s demand contained no instructions to block resources in connection with Navalny’s possible violation of his ban on using the internet, the agency claims. http://www.vedomosti.ru/politics/news/24789291/domashnij-arest-ni-pri-chem#ixzz2xiaxCcXi This is just magnificent. Have you ever seen anything like this? So it turns out Roskomnadzor (Russia’s media and internet regulator) was lying—and is still lying—when it says the block was because of a violation of house arrest. Here is their explanation, which is still available now:
Most likely it’s not just Roskomnadzor lying—they’re lying together with the prosecutor’s office. It’s hard to believe Roskomnadzor came up with the wording about the preventive measure on its own. 2. The logic of the block is brilliant: in the “Fight Against Corruption” group, people wrote about calls for unauthorized protests, and after reading Navalny’s LiveJournal, we concluded that he considers those calls acceptable. Which means they’re unlawful. Block it. After reading your LiveJournal, we decided that you admire Dzerzhinsky’s (founder of the Soviet secret police) escape from Siberian exile, which means you are inclined toward escapes and organizing them. Block it. It’s also amusing that Roskomnadzor and the prosecutor’s office will explain to everyone why they blocked my LiveJournal—except me. The letter Roskomnadzor sent to LiveJournal says this:
OK. The prosecutor’s office gives no specifics at all about where exactly the “terrible extremism” is in the blog. So I found it myself and deleted it. My lawyer immediately sent the following letter (both by email and through the web form): I, Vadim Dmitrievich Kobzev, attorney at Branch No. 5 of the Moscow Regional Bar Association (registration No. 50/6394, attorney ID No. 6925 issued on 27.02.2010 by the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation for Moscow Region), am defense counsel for Alexei Anatolyevich Navalny in criminal case No. 201/460711-12, which is under investigation by the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia, and also the representative of the said person before all state bodies and institutions on the basis of a notarized power of attorney dated 27.08.2013 (attached to this letter). In connection with the restriction by telecommunications operators within the territory of the Russian Federation of access to Alexei A. Navalny’s online resource—the blog http://navalny.livejournal.com/—on the basis of the Prosecutor General’s demand dated 13.03.2014 No. 27/3-286-2014/Нд6333-14, I hereby notify you that the information containing calls for mass riots, extremist activity, and participation in mass (public) events held in violation of the established procedure has been removed from the said online resource. On the basis of the above, I request that you conduct the appropriate review and restore access to Alexei A. Navalny’s online resource—the blog http://navalny.livejournal.com/. In addition, please take into account that since 28.02.2014, by decision of the Basmanny District Court of Moscow, Alexei A. Navalny has been under house arrest, and the court has therefore prohibited him from using means of communication, the information and telecommunications network “Internet,” and from receiving or sending correspondence, including letters, telegrams, and electronic messages, as a result of which he is unable to send this notice to you personally. Was there a reply? Of course there was no reply. Where do you complain when there is no reply? To the prosecutor’s office. The circle is complete. Of course, we also filed in court (the case is being handled by Agora—many thanks to them), and a lawsuit was also filed on our behalf (by the Pirate Party—many thanks to them), but there are some doubts about the prospects of these proceedings. Anyway, behind all this legal acrobatics, it’s clear that the petty demons and lackeys were told, “Block it however you want.” So they’re blocking it. Soon I’ll write more about how to get around blocks, but for now remember that there is http://navalny.us/ P.S. Here is a mirror of this post: http://navalny.us/920322.html While Alexei Navalny is under house arrest, his blog is being run by Yulia Navalnaya and ACF staff.