Russia’s internet watchdog, Roscomnadzor blocked several anti-Putin websites located near Moscow after new authority was provided by law to prevent websites from ‘blatant disrespect’ against the government.
The 76.Ru news site in Yaroslavl, northeast of Moscow, was blocked by state media watchdog Roskomnadzor for more than 12 hours on April 12-13, Chief Editor Olga Prokhorova said, reported Reuters.
She said Roskomnadzor informed 76.Ru after the site had been blocked that its report about graffiti on the columns of a local police station crudely slurring Putin contained information that had been flagged under the law against insulting authorities.
Russians have been demonstrating across the country against the loss of internet freedom, one of the last ways ordinary Russians can criticize officials in power.