Russia's VKontakte social network said Friday it has complied with the country's media watchdog agency demands and blocked an online support group for LGBT teens, which the government has deemed guilty of illegal “gay propaganda.”
The Deti-404 (Children-404) group is blocked from access in Russia, VKontakte spokesman Georgy Lobushkin said on the social network, although it remains accessible from outside the country.
A failure to meet watchdog Roskomnadzor's demands to shut down the group would have prompted the government to shut down VKontakte altogether, Lobushkin said.
Earlier this week, Roskomnadzor added five VKontakte groups to its registry of banned pages for containing “propaganda promoting non-traditional sexual relations among teenagers,” which was outlawed in Russia in 2013.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
