The Russian authorities have blocked the access to the Internet resources “MBKh Media”, “Open Media”, “Human Rights Protection Postcards” of Mikhail Khodorkovsky’s opposition media. This was announced on Twitter by the former owner of Lukoil. His ‘Open Russia Defense Fund ‘simply disappeared from the Internet. The access to it was blocked at the request of the Prosecutor General of Russia.
In April, the Moscow prosecutor’s office initiated the announcement of extremist organizations associated with Alexei Navalny, and in May the Duma passed a law prohibiting any person,who has ever held any position in an opposition organization,to run for office in the State Duma.
Even with the status of “unwanted” or “foreign agents,” all independent media in Russia are under pressure, but those that are declared extremist are immediately banned and their members are punished. Therefore, in order to avoid criminal prosecution, most of these organizations have disbanded.
However, the Kremlin was not reassured by these self-liquidations. In June, the Navalny Headquarters movement, the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) and its successor, the Foundation for the Defense of Civil Rights (FZPG), were declared extremist, and now Khodorkovsky’s organizational network is on the agenda.
Judging by this, the blocking, carried out at the request of the Prosecutor General’s Office, suggests that there will be more of them.