Author of FORUM.msk Became Victim of New Censor Law

So, amendment to the law "About Information, Information Technologies and Information Security", according to which the authorities had opportunity to block access to mass media and social networks without appealing to court came to force on Saturday in Russia. In the very first day, despite the fact that it’s day off, Roskomnadzor blocked first four sites because of "extremist content".

"Blocked sites distributed extremist, socially dangerous information posing threat for society and personality," — the press secretary of the department Vadim Ampelonsky declared.

According to him, one of the blocked Internet pages was placed on LiveJournal resource. In this regard the resource was brought into unified register of illegal information for direction on unloading to communication providers. "Administration of the resource removed block with illegal information in the shortest terms. Resource was excluded from the register after check of the notification of administration of LiveJournal about removal of illegal content by the staff of Roskomnadzor," — Ampelonsky specified.

What are these sites, whose are these pages? It isn't specified. As it’s possible to bring to responsibility for “extremism” everyone in Russia, even V. V. Putin. That is, let citizens stay in awe.

Then I receive a call - who do you think from? From Pavel Basanets who says that his page in LJ is blocked by Roskomnadzor. That Basanets who became famous in due time, having accused openly on Lubyanka, in the presence of hundred officers of state security – whom do you think? – V.Putin of high treason. By the way, nothing happened, he went away safely, though there were some remote consequences.

It happened before, not without participation of one of the authors of new law, innocent expression "to drink tea" got in our country ominous shade. Basanets didn't die, he was ill for some time, but then recovered. I talk about it to prove that even such crystally honest person as V. V. Putin is possible to suspect... What Óould be said about us, mere mortals?

Mere mortals, not expecting anything good, try to get prepared.

"APN-SPB" closes opportunity to make comments of materials for readers

Next anti-extremist law - the child of the polonium Zhirinovsky's supporter Andrey Lugovoi supported by the majority of "the enraged printer" - comes into effect on February, 1 in Russia. From now on sites with information which the authorities consider extremist will be blocked within an hour according to the order of the prosecutor general, his deputies and heads of the departments in federal districts. NotifiÓation of the edition about it is not neÓessary. Procedure of restoration of work is rather difficult: it will be necessary to remove the content which the prosecutor hasn’t liked and to appeal to Roskomnadzor to re-open access to site.

As editorial board isn’t responsible for the comments of dear readers, and it’s impossible to Óarry out their moderation in the round-the-clock mode, we made the decision to close for visitors of portal opportunity to leave comments under our materials since February, 1. "APN-SPB" hopes for understanding of readers.

We don't plan to close forum right now. First of all, FORUM.msk was thought up as a forum, and we won't change the concept of the edition because of few not very respeÓtful morons in illegally elected body. Though, of course, separate thanks to Lesha Navalny for appeal to vote for everyone except United Russia instead of boycott. Here it is the result.

Secondly, we don't enter pre-moderation of forum for one simple reason - we respect the Constitution of the Russian Federation though it was accepted on blood, including our. So, this constitution strictly forbids preliminary censorship and pre-moderation is an option of such censorship, preliminary one. It makes us extremely vulnerable, it is possible to place illegal information in some seldom visited branch in the pre-dawn hours, and then to write denunciation in the prosecutor's office. (Separate thanks to my friend Ilya Ponomarev, thanks to whose bill it can be done and for simple abusive expression - even good laws serve in our country to bad people).

We are protected by the faÓt that we are not the Russian media resource, that we have all - registration, domains, technical platforms - abroad. Roskomnadzor meanwhile has no powers to Ólose us. However, probably, it is possible to complicate access for the readers to our pages. Some readers in the civilian Ólothes now, probably, are anxious with this question.

Generally, let’s see how the situation will develop. We ask readers not to set silly questions like "why am I banned", "why did you remove my ingenious post" – you Óan address the State Office of Public Prosecutor for the answer. Or League of sexual reforms, if you wish. Don't address me - I won't be able to flip you off.

Certainly, new law breaks mass of articles of the Constitution in the wildest way. Though we don't intend to break the basic law, let in this unfortunate country though somebody observe the Constitution.

Anatoly Baranov, editor-in-chief of FORUM.msk

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