We demand that the Federal Supervision Agency for Information Technologies and Communications abandons senseless blocking of instant messengers

Press Release, 13.04.2018

The Bureau of the Yabloko party considers blocking of the Telegram messenger be “contrary to the basic constitutional rights of citizens to freedom of information and secrecy of correspondence” and deamnds that the Federal Supervision Agency for Information Technologies and Communications (Roskomnadzor) abandons “senseless blocking of instant messengers”. Such a statement was adopted at a meeting of the party Bureau held in Moscow on 13 April.

The possibility of using “end-to-end” encryption by criminals does not mean the technology itself is illegal, moreover the absolute majority of law-abiding Russian users should not suffer because of criminal actions of some citizens, the statement runs.

“Given ‘tightening of the screws’ in the domestic politics and the growing confrontation between Russia and Western countries in the foreign policy, there is a danger that attacks on foreign messengers, Internet channels and search engines will continue so that to force Russians to switch to the Internet services controlled by the Russian law enforcement and security departments”, the Bureau emphasises.

According to the Yabloko Bureau, the actions of Roskomnadzor “are leading the country further along the path towards isolation and backwardness”. “This is an extremely destructive way. Attempts to build a rigid authoritarian system that completely controls and suppresses a person’s life are deeply archaic in the 21st century,” the Bureau notes.

The party is convinced that “the patriarchal utopia of the present state, which provides for unanimity and total control of the law enforcement agencies, is simply unworkable.”

“Restriction of technological progress leads to elimination of innovations, including those created with participation of Russian specialists and entrepreneurs, and bring to nought all the efforts targeted at creation of a favorable climate for businessmen and inventors. Only creative people who have the opportunity to freely exchange information can create a much-needed modern economy,” the authors of the statement stress.

On 13 April, Tagansky District Court of Moscow decided to block the Internet messenger Telegram on the territory of the Russian Federation. Earlier, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation refused to recognise the right to inviolability of correspondence for Telegram users.

Despite the blocking, the Yabloko press service will maintain its Telegram channel.