Polls, Elections, Politics in Russia & Washington's role.

[TsarSamuil]

Director of Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation placed on Russia's wanted list, after 'extremist' campaign group banned by court.

RT.com
11 Jun, 2021 14:43

A detention order has been issued for Russian activist Ivan Zhdanov, one of jailed opposition figure Alexey Navalny’s most high-profile associates, after the Ministry of Internal Affairs included him on a federal wanted list.

Zhdanov was the director of the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK), which was listed as a ‘foreign agent’ in the country before a court ruled on Wednesday that it was an extremist organization. The move will see its bank accounts closed and those involved in its activities barred from seeking elected office.

Prosecutors argued that the group, founded in 2011 by Western-backed activist Navalny, was responsible for trying to cause political upheaval with the intent of “changing the foundations of constitutional order.” Lawyers for the FBK had sought to challenge the assertions, insisting that it was a non-violent movement.

Zhdanov, who reportedly now lives in Lithuania, shared a copy of the wanted file on his Instagram account. “I do not know what the search is about,” he said, “probably the ten or so criminal cases that were filed against me. It’s hard to figure out exactly which one.” He claimed that his lawyer had been shut out of proceedings and did not have details of the charges against him.

Last year, prosecutors opened a file on the activist for reportedly failing to pay 29 million rubles ($404,500) in damages to prominent businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin after losing a case over claims a catering provider was supplying “poor quality food” to Moscow schools. The business magnate bought the debt from the maligned firm and said he planned to go to all legal lengths to collect it.

In December, Zhdanov announced his intentions to run as a candidate for the country’s parliament in national elections to be held later this year. However, his links to the FBK would likely prohibit him from doing so, and he has since left the country.

[TsarSamuil]

Russia bans America's liberal Bard College, labelling it as 'undesirable organization' threatening country's 'order and security'

RT.com
22 Jun, 2021 15:14

Authorities in Moscow have labelled an American liberal arts university working in the country as ‘undesirable’ and banned it following claims it’s working to undermine the government and threatening the security of the state.

In a statement issued by the office of the Prosecutor General on Tuesday, officials said that the decision to blacklist Bard College was made based on evidence “its activities pose a threat to the foundations of the constitutional order and security of the Russian Federation.”

The organization, based in New York state, will now face an effective ban against operating in the country. A private liberal arts college, Bard boasts of its wide network of global placements that allow its students to “engage in international dialogue.” One such link is with the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Smolny College, part of St. Petersburg State University.

The American institution describes its mission as seeking “to inspire curiosity, a love of learning, idealism, and a commitment to the link between higher education and civic participation.”

Bard College has received numerous grants from billionaire philanthropist George Soros and his network of organizations. In 2020, it received a gift of $100 million from the Hungarian businessman’s Open Society Foundation, followed by a $500 million endowment the following year.

Other organizations declared by Russian authorities to be ‘undesirable organizations’ include pro-NATO lobby group The Atlantic Council, which received the label in 2019. The law forbids groups given the designation from opening offices or disseminating materials in the country. Those found to be affiliated with them can face fines of up to 100,000 (around $1,370) rubles or prison terms of two to six years.

[TsarSamuil]

Support for Navalny’s activities dwindles in Russia as poll shows many citizens back designation of his organizations as extremist.

RT.com
9 Jul, 2021 15:29

Russians view imprisoned opposition figure Alexey Navalny and his activities in an increasingly negative light, it was revealed on Friday, with many approving of the court’s decision to designate his organizations as extremist.

That’s according to a new poll conducted by the Levada Centre, branded as a foreign agent by the Russian Ministry of Justice, which revealed that the percentage of Russians who approve of Navalny has dropped from 20% in September 2020 to 14% in June 2021.

The number of those who disapprove of the Western-backed protest leader increased from 50% to 62% over the same period.

Navalny was found to be most popular in the age group 18-34 (24%), with just 8% of those over 55 supporting the activist.

The survey also found that 32% of Russians support the decision of the courts to designate Navalny’s structures as ‘extremist,’ with just 27% disapproving. Another 41% were indifferent or had no answer, the poll revealed.

Among those who declared support for President Vladimir Putin, an even higher percentage (40%) said they agree with the extremist label.

On June 9, a court in Moscow agreed with the public prosecutor that the Anti-Corruption Foundation, the Citizens’ Rights Protection Foundation, and Navalny’s regional headquarters are “extremist organizations,” ruling that their activities should be immediately restricted.

According to the prosecutor’s office, the three organizations are responsible for attempting to create conditions to destabilize the country’s socio-political situation, with the aim of “changing the foundations of constitutional order” and even creating a Western-backed “color revolution.” Now, anyone who was “involved in the activities” of these groups is banned from being elected to any government position.

Navalny is currently in jail, serving a two-year and eight-month jail term for breaking the conditions of a suspended sentence handed to him in 2014, when he was found guilty of embezzling 30 million rubles ($400,000) from two companies, including the French cosmetics brand Yves Rocher. Prosecutors claimed that he failed to show up when they needed to see him. At the time, Navalny was in Germany, convalescing from an alleged poisoning in Siberia last August, which he claims was ordered by the Russian government. The Kremlin denies any involvement.

[TsarSamuil]

Russian regulators block website of jailed opposition figure Alexey Navalny, weeks after activist’s operations branded ‘extremist’

RT.com
26 Jul, 2021 14:45

Moscow’s digital watchdog has ordered internet providers to block access to the homepage of jailed anti-corruption campaigner Alexey Navalny, citing provisions that allow sites to be taken down if they call for illegal activity.

The order, issued on Monday, saw the activist’s homepage become unavailable for users in Russia. The ruling, enforced by Roscomnadzor, originated with the office of the country’s prosecutor general.

It points to breaches of Article 15.3 of the Law on Information, Technology and Protection, which allows authorities to act if they believe webpages contain calls for mass riots, participation in large-scale unauthorized events, and extremist activities.

In June, a Moscow court ruled that Navalny’s political campaign network, along with his Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) and his Citizens’ Rights Protection Foundation, were ‘extremist organizations’. The FBK had already been designated as a ‘foreign agent’ by the Russian Ministry of Justice and required to display its status, but the new ruling effectively prohibited the groups’ ability to operate in the country.

In April, prior to the initial court decision, Navalny’s aide Leonid Volkov announced that his political operations would be disbanded, fearing that many of its workers could face criminal charges. Volkov has coordinated the network from abroad in Lithuania.

Navalny is currently serving two years and eight months in a prison colony for breaching bail conditions relating to a previous scheme to defraud French cosmetics firm Yves Rocher. He was arrested on landing back in Moscow from Germany, where he had been living after being transferred to Berlin to be treated for what he and his German doctors allege to be a poisoning with the nerve agent Novichok.

A consequence of the ‘extremist organization’ designation is that many of Navalny’s allies and those who have worked as part of his operations will be barred from standing for elections in Russia. In May, the State Duma passed a law preventing those who give money or time to the banned groups from participating as candidates.

[TsarSamuil]

Navalny ally Sobol leaves Russia after court ruling finds her guilty of organising unauthorised protests during Covid-19 – reports.

RT.com
8 Aug, 2021 16:16

One of Russian opposition figure Alexey Navalny’s closest allies, Lubov Sobol, has left Russia days after she was sentenced to a year-and-a-half of restrictions over her role in organizing unauthorized protests in early 2021.

The former lawyer for Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Fund (FBK), Sobol flew to the Turkish capital, Istanbul, from Moscow’s Vnukovo airport on Saturday evening, Russian media reported, citing law enforcement sources.

According to the sources cited, Sobol was expected to fly to another country from Istanbul, but her final destination, as well as her current whereabouts, are unknown. She has so far not confirmed her departure herself.

On Tuesday, Moscow’s Preobrazhensky District Court imposed restrictions on Sobol for inciting a breach of public health laws earlier this year, when she called on people to join unauthorized rallies in support of Navalny.

She was banned from leaving her home between 22:00 and 06:00, as well as from attending any mass events and from leaving Moscow or the surrounding region for 18 months. She was also ordered to present herself before the authorities three times a month during this period.

Navalny was arrested on his return to Moscow from Germany, where he was recovering from what he and the German government claimed to be poisoning with a nerve agent.

His arrest prompted his allies to call for massive demonstrations in his name, in defiance of restrictions imposed because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Navalny was eventually sentenced to a prison term for breaching the terms of a suspended sentence for fraud.

Sobol was also handed a suspended sentence – comprising a year of community service – for “home invasion.” The activist had been found guilty of “violently” breaking into an apartment of an elderly woman. Navalny’s allies claimed the woman was a relative of an alleged member of the security service team that had supposedly poisoned the opposition figure.

Now, the activist may face repercussions for breaching the terms of her sentences. This may include a prison term, Denis Nikitin, a lawyer with the Human and Law legal center, told RT Russian.

The Russian authorities branded the FBK ‘foreign agent’ because it had received overseas funding. Founded by Navalny in 2011, it was also declared an “extremist group” back in June, and its work in Russia was de facto banned.

[TsarSamuil]

Another close Navalny associate leaves Russia: Spokeswoman Yarmysh travels to Finland after legal troubles, Interfax reports.

RT.com
30 Aug, 2021 15:53

Kira Yarmysh, spokeswoman for Russian opposition figure Alexey Navalny, has fled the country, becoming the latest of the jailed activist's close associates to leave following legal issues, according to unconfirmed media reports.

Citing two unnamed sources, Moscow news agency Interfax reported that Yarmysh had left for Finland. She is yet to make a statement.

If confirmed, Yarmysh's move follows that of another Navalny team member, Lyubov Sobol, who departed earlier this month after receiving a one-and-half-year sentence of 'restricted freedom,' including a ban against traveling outside the Moscow region. However, Sobol has indicated that she intends to return.

On August 16, a Moscow court also sentenced Yarmysh to the same punishment. She too was part of the so-called 'Sanitary Case,' with Sobol. The charges, leveled against ten Navalny associates, accuse the group of inciting people to gather for unauthorised protests in violation of restrictions at preventing the spread of Covid-19, earlier this year.

If confirmed, Yarmysh will be joining the likes of Navalny's right-hand man Leonid Volkov, who has also moved to the EU. Volkov is based in Lithuania.

[TsarSamuil]

‘Don’t interfere in our elections,’ Russian regulators tell US tech giants Apple & Google, in row over ‘foreign agent’ campaign.

RT.com
10 Sep, 2021 10:28

Roskomnadzor, Moscow’s digital watchdog, has issued a sternly worded warning to four American companies over claims that they are potentially violating Russian election law by bypassing court-ordered restrictions in the country.

In a statement issued on Thursday evening, officials demanded that Apple and Google, as well as VPN service providers Cloudflare and Cisco, stop allowing users to access banned sites. “During the pre-election campaign, it is prohibited to enable the violation of Russian legislation, including those related to election campaigning on the internet,” Roskomnadzor said.

The row comes as authorities say more than 10 foreign firms, including those from the US, UK, Germany, France, and Ukraine, are offering services that enable restrictions to be bypassed, effectively making legal decisions to block websites unenforceable.

Specifically, officials say the four American firms named in the letter are supporting users to access the Smart Voting website set up by supporters of jailed opposition figure Alexey Navalny, as well as a mobile phone application used by campaigners. Navalny’s operations were branded a ‘foreign agent’ by the country’s Ministry of Justice over links to foreign funding, and his organizations were later deemed to be ‘extremist’ and banned by a court in Moscow.

Roskomnadzor says the Smart Voting platform is an extension of activities promoted by those organizations, and has moved to block it from appearing in results on Russia’s main domestic search engine, Yandex. Other providers have reportedly failed to comply with the restrictions.

In July, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov claimed that parliamentary elections due to be held next month could become a lightning rod for potential foreign interference. “Our Western colleagues do not hide the fact that many of them would prefer to deal with a weak Russia, devoid of landmarks – a Russia ready for any concessions. We see efforts, nearly daily, to influence our domestic and foreign policy,” he said.

“I want to say with full responsibility that the plans being hatched by the West will not work, the President [of Russia, Vladimir Putin] has repeatedly said this,” Lavrov fumed.

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Apple & Google delete Navalny’s ‘Smart Voting’ app after top Russian officials accuse US tech giants of ‘election interference’

RT.com
17 Sep, 2021 10:01

An online tactical voting initiative backed by jailed campaigner Alexey Navalny has been removed from app stores on the eve of Russia's parliamentary elections, after Moscow hit out at tech firms it says were circumventing a ban.

The opposition figure's team confirmed on Friday that the 'Smart Voting' platform had been taken down from both Apple's AppStore and Google Play services after the country's media regulator, Roskomnadzor, called on the American tech firms to implement a government-ordered block. Officials had previously threatened the US firms with hefty fines if they refused to implement the change, in addition to the hundreds of thousands of dollars in financial penalties imposed for previous breaches.

The news comes just one day after the Interim Commission for the Protection of Sovereignty and Prevention of Interference in Internal Affairs on Russia's Federation Council met to discuss the issue. Andrey Klimov, its chairman, said that both Apple and Google were engaged in "illegal" activity during the election period by supporting "the dissemination of information and materials during the campaign." Officials have accused the companies of undermining the bans on the app by hosting it on their networks and hit out at other firms providing VPNs that allow users to circumvent blocks.

'Smart Voting' and its content was barred over its association with Navalny's operations, which were effectively prohibited from operating in Russia after being branded 'extremist organizations' by a court earlier this year.

Last week, Moscow summoned American Ambassador John Sullivan to explain the role of US companies in the election. According to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, "the evidence was presented to him. It is quite serious, really. We are still waiting for an answer from our American colleagues why this is happening."

Polling opened in the elections to Russia's State Duma on Thursday night, with voters waking up in the Far East heading to the polls first. 450 seats are up for grabs across the country and through a proportional representation list, while voting is set to end on Sunday in the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, the westernmost part of the nation.

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Navalny allies say Google demanding they delete 'Smart Voting' list, as Moscow accuses American firm of 'election interference'

RT.com
18 Sep, 2021 13:12

Supporters of jailed Russian opposition figure Alexey Navalny have accused American tech giant Google of pressuring them to take down a database of their preferred candidates standing in Russia's ongoing parliamentary elections.

Navalny’s team posted on its Telegram account what it said was a notice from the US-based tech giant, informing them about a complaint from the Russian media watchdog Roskomnadzor (RKN). The complaint said materials hosted on Google servers were in breach of Russian law, according to the screenshot. Unless the team deletes them, Google “may be forced to block access to them,” the notice said.

The red-flagged content was two Google Docs files listing Navalny-favored candidates in the ongoing general and regional elections in Russia. The opposition activist has been compiling such lists for several years now, based on who he believes to be the strongest challengers to candidates from the ruling United Russia party.

The so-called ‘Smart Voting’ campaign is meant to weaken the Russian government by stripping its power base in various legislatures, including in the national parliament. This year’s lists are dominated by politicians from the Communist Party, Russia’s largest opposition force.

Team Navalny advised supporters to “open [the documents] right now and make sure to take screenshots.” It was not clear whether the threat by Google to block access would be executed before the end of Sunday, when voting in Russia ends and the lists become obsolete. Regardless of when or if the enforcement action is taken, copies of the list are widely available online for those interested in getting them, including on the campaign’s website and platforms like GitHub.

The Russian government perceives the tactical voting advice from Navalny allies as a form of election meddling, and has been pressuring foreign companies to crack down on it. Earlier, Apple and Google agreed to delete an app that serves the same function from their stores after RKN demands.

Last week, Moscow summoned US ambassador John Sullivan to present him with what officials said amounted to compelling evidence that American tech firms were breaking Russian election law. The country's foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, said that "The evidence was given to him... it is quite serious, really. We are still waiting for an answer from our American colleagues why this is happening."

RKN issued a sternly-worded warning to firms including Apple and Google, as well as VPN providers Cloudflare and Cisco, in the lead up to the elections. Authorities say that the companies are helping Russians access banned content in spite of orders to the contrary. Navalny's campaign operations were branded 'extremist' and effectively prohibited by a court earlier this year, and officials say that 'Smart Voting' is an extension of those activities.

General and regional elections are conducted in Russia over three days, which is intended to spread the load on polling stations and mitigate the risk of Covid-19 infections. The Central Election Commission has also been urging voters in some parts of the country to use a pilot remote voting system.

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More than 20 foreign NGOs tried to interfere in Russia’s elections & should now be banned from country, top Moscow lawmakers claim.

RT.com
20 Sep, 2021 09:22

Nearly two dozen overseas organizations operating in Russia attempted to influence the results of the country's parliamentary elections held over the weekend, a leading lawmaker has claimed, promising to take action against them.

In a statement issued shortly after polls closed early on Monday morning, Vasily Piskarev, the head of a State Duma commission investigating foreign interference in Russia's domestic affairs, said that there had been efforts to sway the vote from abroad. According to him, there had been a pre-planned campaign "to prompt people and shape their choices imposed on Russians during the voting."

"Moreover, a number of foreign NGOs – more than 20 organizations in total – during the election campaign openly called on Facebook, Twitter and Google not to comply with authorities' orders and ignore Russian legal requirements to take down banned content," Piskarev said. Officials have been locked into a row with the American tech giants in recent weeks over claims the companies are allowing users to circumvent a block and access 'Smart Voting' resources promoted by allies of jailed opposition figure Alexey Navalny.

In the lead-up to the election, Russia's media regulator, Roskomnadzor, issued a stern warning to Apple and Google, as well as VPN service providers Cloudflare and Cisco, insisting that they comply with the take-down request. Authorities say that the site and its associated app, designed to maximize the impact of anti-Kremlin votes, are extensions of Navalny's campaign headquarters, and banned under a court ruling that designated it an 'extremist organization' earlier this year. Moscow had summoned the US ambassador, John Sullivan, to the Foreign Ministry, and presented him with evidence of "serious" efforts to meddle in the vote.

According to Piskarev, his commission "has now prepared an appeal to the Prosecutor General's office, with a proposal to recognize these NGOs as 'undesirable' on Russian soil."

Apple and Google removed the 'Smart Voting' app from their platforms on Saturday, responding to requests from officials. A number of activists have since expressed their disappointment at the decision, and members of Navalny's team have even mooted suing the networks for taking down their resources.

At the same time, the chair of the country's Federation Council, Valentina Matvienko, claimed that hackers had attempted to target election infrastructure. "The number of cyber-attacks has grown significantly," she said on Monday morning. "And many have targeted the Central Election Commission website. It is clear where they are coming from, and naturally we will present this to those countries after the elections and let them figure it out."

Votes are still being counted in Russia's parliamentary elections, with the governing United Russia party announcing it expects to retain its two-thirds 'supermajority,' despite a rise in support for opposition groups.

[TsarSamuil]

Russian elections: Pro-Putin party loses support but keeps ‘supermajority,’ Communists get big boost but allege count was rigged.

RT.com
20 Sep, 2021 13:46

The votes are in and the results are out. Russians have cast their votes in parliamentary elections and, with almost all of the votes counted, there is little doubt that the governing party will be returned with a supermajority.

Half the seats in the State Duma are awarded by proportional representation, while the others are assigned by ‘first-past-the-post’ results in single member constituencies. United Russia, the ruling party, has officially received close to 50% of all votes cast, while sweeping the overwhelming majority of constituencies, with 99% of votes counted.

The Communist Party of the Russian Federation (KPRF), the largest opposition grouping, has come in a distant second in the local races. It did, however, significantly extend its share of the overall vote, gaining about a quarter more ballots than it did in the 2016 elections and taking its support to around 19%.

The right-wing LDPR and the center-left Fair Russia – For Truth party came in third and fourth place respectively with around 7.5% each, while youth party New People, dismissed by many liberals as a Kremlin project, crossed the 5% threshold for proportional representation in the Duma. The remainder of ballots cast are, in effect, wasted votes, as the parties that received them failed to pass that hurdle.

Meanwhile, with almost all results in, United Russia was leading in 197 of the 225 single member constituencies. The KPRF was ahead in 12, Fair Russia in seven, Independents in four, and the LDPR, Yabloko, Civic Platform, the Party of Growth, and Rodina all winning in one each. Add these to the seats assigned via party list, and the party in power is on target to get around 320 places in the Duma; the KPRF 60-65; the LDPR about 20; Fair Russia 20-25; New People maybe 12-13; and independents and minor parties 5-10.

While enough to guarantee the ruling party a constitutional majority, the result amounts to a loss of about 20 seats for them compared to the last election and a corresponding increase of 20 or so for the Communists. Fair Russia – For Truth will remain roughly where it was before, while the LDPR stands to lose 15 or so Duma members. New People has not previously been in parliament and so any seats it gets are gains.

Despite seeing its share of the vote fall since 2016, when the party polled at 55%, United Russia emerges as the big winner, and will maintain its ability to pass constitutional reforms without depending on other parties. Even the Communists’ advances should not cause it serious concern as part of United Russia’s appeal has always been that it is the only party capable of defeating the KPRF. The stronger the KPRF, the more reason there is for middle-of-the road undecideds to turn to the party that promises to prevent a turn back to the days of the Soviet Union.

Inevitably, though, United Russia’s success will raise suspicions of electoral fraud. Prior to the election, the party was polling at only 35% of decided, definite voters. In the past, undecided voters have tended to swing in their favor, or just stayed home, so it’s not altogether surprising that the party’s final result was higher. That said, 50% may well be stretching the limit of what is plausible given the pre-election polls, which put it at closer to 45% when the ‘don’t knows’ and those who don’t intend to vote were excluded.

Many observers will no doubt conclude that the extra percentage points were gained in a dishonest fashion. Indeed, the Central Electoral Commission rejected votes from several polling stations after videos emerged of ballot stuffing. It’s quite plausible that there were plenty of other cases that were not discovered.

Suspicions are also being raised about the tally of electronic ballots, especially as United Russia did better among those voting electronically than among those voting in the traditional way of marking paper with a pencil.

If there was major fraud, the main party to suffer would have been the Communists, even though this year’s election promises to be the best for the KPRF since 1999. This is quite remarkable. Since the mid-1990s, the KPRF’s poll ratings have been in steady decline. Now, however, the group has got a new lease of life and its position as the Russian Federation’s primary opposition force can no longer be in doubt.

However, the party has said it will call for an investigation into election results in Moscow, with a focus on electronic voting, which leader Gennady Zyuganov said amounted to “a hack.” According to him, the digital returns were far less favorable than those made in person. “This can’t be allowed to stand, especially in our nation’s capital,” he said.

In contrast to the Communists’ success, Russia’s liberals have been pretty much annihilated. Three long-standing liberal parties stood for election this week – Yabloko, Civic Platform, and the Party of Growth. It looks as if they might each win one single member constituency. But their overall share of the vote was dismal – around 1% for Yabloko; 0.3% for the Party of Growth; and 0.1% for Civic Platform.

Likewise, the efforts of the so-called ‘non-systemic’ liberals amounted to nothing, particularly the ‘Smart Voting’ system invented by jailed oppositionist Alexey Navalny. This aimed to persuade electors to cast their vote for whatever candidate was most likely to beat that of United Russia. Unfortunately for Navalny, with the party of government looking likely to win the vast majority of single member constituencies, it’s obvious that the effort to defeat it through tactical voting has failed dismally.

With its forces in disarray, perhaps the only ray of hope for Russian liberalism this week is the good performance of the New People party.

Founded last year by businessman Alexey Nechaev, New People’s rise has been rapid. The party aims to attract liberal-minded urban professionals with a moderately right-of-center, free market approach that stresses elevating fresh faces and getting stuff done at a regional level rather than fighting the authorities in Moscow.

This approach has led many to denounce New People as pro-Kremlin spoilers, and the party has shrugged off allegations that its activists have also campaigned for United Russia. But if it does make it into the Duma, the party will be able to make a good case that its ideas have much greater appeal than those of people like Navalny. After years of street demonstrations have driven Russian liberalism into the abyss, New People’s non-confrontational approach may be what is needed to spark a liberal revival.

For now, though, power remains in the hands of United Russia. This does not mean that Russians are content with its government – after all the party only won about half of all votes, on a very low turnout of only 51% of all eligible voters. Nevertheless, despite its losses, the elections have basically confirmed the existing balance of power. By hook or by crook, the Russian authorities have got the result they want.

[TsarSamuil]

‘Liars and hypocrites’: Imprisoned Russian opposition figure Navalny accuses Google & Apple of being ‘accomplices’ of Kremlin.

RT.com
24 Sep, 2021 11:09

The jailed Russian opposition figure Alexey Navalny has taken to Twitter to criticize US tech giants Google and Apple of acting as "accomplices" of the Kremlin, which he says "forged the results" of the country's recent elections.

In his post, the imprisoned protest leader noted his "surprise" that "almighty Big Tech" complied with Moscow's request to delete his 'Smart Voting' app before Russia held parliamentary elections September 17–19.

"The giants Apple and Google have complied with the Kremlin's demands and removed our app from their stores. My beloved YouTube has deleted our video, and the Telegram messenger has blocked our bot," he lamented.

"This means that recognizes the right of an authoritarian thief to subjugate the Internet, turning it into an instrument for seizure of power," he continued.

Apple and Google removed the Navalny app from their application stores before Russians cast ballots in national elections to the country's parliament last weekend. According to the New York Times, Google deleted it after Moscow threatened to arrest local staff on extremism charges, naming specific individuals who would face prosecution.

Google later removed two Google docs and two YouTube videos listing the candidates Navalny's team had chosen to back in each constituency as part of its 'Smart Voting' scheme.

The jailed opposition figure also took aim at Pavel Durov, the Russian owner of the Telegram messenger app. The Dubai-based company blocked a bot run by Navalny's team.

"One of the modern challenges is that false prophets now come to us not in sheep's clothing, but in hoodies and stretched jeans," Navalny wrote. "Standing in front of the huge screens, they tell us about 'making the world a better place,' but on the inside, they are liars and hypocrites."

Last week, the Russian Foreign Ministry's official spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, told the TASS news agency that foreign tech giants have no more chances to ignore the country's legal requirements.

"Everyone must comply with the Russian law," she said. "Other states have the same requirement for foreign companies and citizens operating on their territory."

According to Moscow, Navalny’s Smart Vote app is illegal because of its links to his FBK anti-corruption organization, which was designated as extremist earlier this year. It was also labeled a foreign agent due to allegedly receiving funding from abroad.

Russia’s media watchdog Roskomnadzor has also slammed the application as a tool of “foreign meddling in the electoral campaign,” noting that providers based abroad are allowing Russians to circumvent access restrictions. Earlier this month, news daily Kommersant reported that the Russian authorities believe the Pentagon is supporting the Smart Vote project.

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YouTube defends decision to take down Navalny election posts, insists firm committed to both free speech & abiding by Russian law.

RT.com
27 Sep, 2021 12:28

The boss of one of America's top technology firms has defended moves to delete posts from jailed opposition figure Alexey Navalny ahead of Russia's parliamentary elections after Moscow officials warned they breached national laws.

Speaking to journalists on Monday, YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki insisted that a commitment to free speech is a "core value" for the company, owned by US tech giant Google. "But when we work with governments, there are many things we have to take into consideration, whether it's local laws or what's happening on the ground," she said.

Google and its subsidiaries blocked access to a number of materials published by Navalny's allies in the run-up to the nationwide vote earlier this month. The group had sought to promote its so-called 'Smart Voting' initiative, designed to help supporters cast their ballots tactically in an effort to elect anti-Kremlin candidates. Despite limited domestic interest, officials ordered tech companies to block access to the site, remove the app from stores and delete campaign content. Navalny's operations were branded 'extremist' by a court earlier this year and effectively barred from working within the country.

A fortnight ago, prior to the elections, Moscow summoned the US ambassador, John Sullivan, to question him over what Russian diplomats said amounted to foreign interference by American companies in the poll. "The evidence was presented to him," foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said. "It is quite serious, really. We are still waiting for an answer from our American colleagues why this is happening."

Online media watchdog Roskomnadzor issued a sternly worded rebuke to Google, as well as other US tech firms including Apple, Cloudflare and Cisco, in advance of the vote. "During the pre-election campaign, it is prohibited to enable the violation of Russian legislation, including those related to election campaigning on the internet," officials said.

In the aftermath of the election, Vasily Piskarev, the head of a State Duma commission investigating foreign interference in Russia's domestic affairs, claimed that foreign entities had been lobbying tech firms to refuse to take down prohibited materials. "A number of foreign NGOs – more than 20 organizations in total – during the election campaign openly called on Facebook, Twitter and Google not to comply with authorities' orders and ignore Russian legal requirements to take down banned content," he said.

According to Piskarev, the commission "has now prepared an appeal to the Prosecutor General's office, with a proposal to recognize these NGOs as 'undesirable' on Russian soil."

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Apple & Google are ‘accomplices of censorship,’ Rubio blasts, after US tech giants remove Navalny content in line with Russian law.

RT.com
4 Oct, 2021 10:28

US Senator Marco Rubio has sent a letter to the bosses of two of the country’s largest digital firms, accusing them of bowing to demands from a foreign power and raging over their co-operation with requests from Russian officials.

In the appeal to Google boss Sundar Pichai and Apple CEO Tim Cook, made public over the weekend, Rubio attacked the decision to comply with Russian law and remove content produced by associates of jailed opposition figure Alexey Navalny. The two companies removed their ‘Smart Voting’ app from stores in a move Rubio claims undermined last month’s parliamentary elections.

The service was designed to recommend candidates best placed to defeat those for the ruling United Russia party. Navalny’s team believes it can tip the balance in tight races, but critics say it’s merely a PR stunt piggy-backing on politicians who are already doing well in the polls and trying to claim credit for their success, especially in the Western media space.

In September, Russia’s media regulator, Roskomnadzor, blocked the ‘Smart Voting’ website, due to its link to Navalny’s network of organizations, which were banned earlier this year after a court ruling deemed them to be extremist. Since then, they have been effectively prohibited from operating in the country.

“By bowing to Moscow’s demand, Google and Apple have made themselves complicit in the censorship of an oppressive, authoritarian regime,” Rubio wrote. “You have set a disturbing precedent for both of your companies and their peers – one with ramifications for billions of users of your technologies worldwide.”

In his letter, Rubio stated that the app had been removed at “a critical moment” just before voting began, and explained that it had been “designed by a Navalny-led campaign to consolidate protest votes and recommend the political candidates that were best positioned to defeat United Russia.” The ruling party secured close to half of all votes cast in last month’s parliamentary poll, and returned to power with a two-thirds ‘supermajority,’ allowing it to pass constitutional reforms without the need to rely on other parties.

The biggest gains were for the opposition Communists, who saw their numbers increase by around 50% compared to the 2016 contest (seven million votes to 10.6 million). The party’s leader denounced Navalny earlier this year, saying he was not a political figure, but a tool of American interests, and likening him to pro-Western 1990s president Boris Yeltsin. According to Gennady Zyuganov, Navalny has been groomed by foreign intelligence services to set up a revolution, which he likens to the Ukrainian Maidan in 2014.

“He is not his own boss. He works with experienced specialists who promoted other people before him,” the veteran politician claimed.

Vasily Piskarev, the head of a State Duma commission investigating foreign interference in Russia’s domestic affairs, said after the vote that there had been a concerted campaign to encourage tech giants not to comply with Roskomnadzor’s orders: “More than 20 organizations in total during the election campaign openly called on Facebook, Twitter, and Google not to comply with the authorities’ orders and to ignore Russian legal requirements to take down banned content.” The foreign NGOs now face potential bans.

Both Apple and Google have insisted they must adhere to the legal requirements of the countries in which they operate. In a letter to the ‘Smart Voting’ app creators, Apple explained that applications were prohibited if they “solicit, promote or encourage criminal or clearly reckless behavior.”

The question of Big Tech’s role in elections has come to the fore in Russia in recent weeks, after the country’s Foreign Ministry summoned US ambassador John Sullivan to present him with a dossier of evidence purportedly showing that American tech companies were exerting undue influence on the campaign.

“The evidence was given to him,” Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said. “It is quite serious, really. We are still waiting for an answer from our American colleagues as to why this is happening.”

[TsarSamuil]

Russia ‘couldn’t care less’ about West’s claims election was rigged, ex-President Medvedev tells RT, pointing finger at US hackers.

RT.com
28 Sep, 2021 11:17

Russia’s parliamentary elections were conducted fairly and honestly, the country’s former President and Security Council chief Dmitry Medvedev has insisted, accusing the West of double standards in sowing doubts about the results.

Speaking as part of an exclusive interview with RT broadcast on Tuesday, Medvedev was grilled over allegations that online voting was used to stitch up the vote in favor of the governing party, United Russia, which he serves as chairman of. Asked about claims from the US and EU that the poll was rigged, the former president said it was better to “just ignore them.”

“As the saying goes, a dog’s bark is worse than its bite,” he added. “We couldn’t care less about these allegations. We are a large, independent nation that has sovereignty over its entire territory. We have our own laws and they can say whatever they want, and it doesn’t matter to us.”

The country’s largest opposition faction, the Communist Party (KPRF), has said it will not accept the result of parliamentary elections held in Moscow, where online voting was trialled. Its leaders say that the digital ballots disproportionately swing towards United Russia and deprived its candidates of several seats. They have called for an investigation and pledged to bring legal action.

“Online voting is a fresh trend,” Medvedev told RT. “I’m strongly convinced that sooner or later, the whole world will be voting online. It’s inevitable. There’s only one issue here – verifying the outcome. There is still some work to do here: the government must provide the right conditions and the people need to trust the outcome of online voting procedures.” According to the former president, “I think it all worked out pretty well.”

He went on to point out that KPRF leader Gennady Zyuganov has previously said that voting should be not just a right but a civic duty, and argued that allowing citizens to do it with minimal disruption would help boost participation.

“I’m not sure we’d want to criminalize not voting, although some countries do, but user convenience has become of vital importance in the world today,” Medvedev added.

Now serving as deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, the former leader was also quizzed on purported irregularities that could have diminished public trust in the vote. These included the fact that live video feeds from polling stations were available only to parties and not the general public, and that the voting lasted three days and not one.

Medvedev, however, insisted that the greatest threat to the integrity of the election came from abroad, rather than at home. “According to the data we have during the three day vote, Central Election Commission servers were under constant attack. The Ministry of Digital Development reports that about half came from the United States,” he said, blasting the West’s claims of Russian interference in its own elections as “classic double standard policies.”

At the same time, the former president blasted American big tech and said that Moscow could launch an investigation into the role of US firms and NGOs in amplifying anti-Kremlin messages during the vote.

RT also queried whether there was an erosion of the country’s opposition, with the number of parties eligible to stand candidates cut in half from 74 in 2016 to just 31 in this year’s elections. Of 47 groups now no longer active, 43 of them were dissolved by the Supreme Court. According to Medvedev, this is “neither a problem, nor a good thing – it is just a fact. Some failed to comply with the law and the Supreme Court issued a ruling to disband them.”

On Saturday, KPRF representatives staged a public meeting in one of the capital’s central squares in opposition to what it described as “a hypocritical deception of the people” and to demand “the election results be overturned in Moscow.” A recount of online votes, which election bosses say are secured with blockchain technology, reported no violations and upheld the official tally.

[TsarSamuil]

Russian investigators open new criminal case against Navalny & top allies living abroad on charges of setting up ‘extremist’ group.

RT.com
28 Sep, 2021 12:10

Jailed opposition figure Alexey Navalny is facing a slew of new criminal charges announced by Russian officials. He's accused of founding a string of now-dissolved campaign groups that aimed to overturn the country’s constitution.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the country’s federal Investigative Committee confirmed that a case had been opened against Navalny, as well as key associates Leonid Volkov and Ivan Zhdanov, both of whom now live overseas.

According to the authorities, “it has been established that no later than 2014, Navalny set up the Anti-Corruption Foundation,” which has since been recognized as an ‘extremist organization’ by a Russian court and barred from working in the country.

The charges state that the group was founded “to carry out extremist activities aimed at changing the foundations of the constitutional system in Russia, undermining public security and state integrity.”

Officials go on to say that a total of eight spin-off organizations were then set up “to deliver the activities of the extremist community, as well as its financing, and commit more extremist crimes and attract new participants.”

The entities they say are suspect include campaigning organizations and Navalny’s political operations, which were also branded extremist and dissolved earlier this year.

Investigators also point to the anti-corruption campaigner’s YouTube channel and accounts on social sites including Twitter, Facebook and Instagram as part of the supposed network of illicit activity.

“The actions of the extremist community were aimed at discrediting state authorities and their policies, destabilizing the region, creating a protest mood among the public, forming public opinion about the need for the violent overthrow of power and organizing and conducting protests that escalate into riots,” the statement reads.

Navalny is currently already serving two years and eight months behind bars for breaking the terms of a suspended sentence originally handed down to him in 2014 after he was found guilty of embezzling 30 million rubles ($400,000) from two companies, including French cosmetics brand Yves Rocher.

Prosecutors insist he refused to make contact with probation officials repeatedly while in Russia, as well as after flying to Berlin to receive treatment for what he and his German doctors allege was a state-sponsored poisoning with the nerve agent Novichok.

Moscow has repeatedly denied involvement and officials insist their requests for evidence have gone unanswered.

Volkov has become one of the opposition figure’s most prominent allies since Navalny was taken into custody, and coordinated a series of demonstrations in cities protesting the arrest in cities across the country in January.

Police broke up the unauthorized mass gatherings, ostensibly banned under public health laws put in place since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.

[TsarSamuil]

Prosecutors seek new prison term for Navalny.

RT.com
15 Mar, 2022 12:59

A Russian prosecutor on Tuesday asked a court to sentence opposition figure Alexey Navalny to 13 years in jail and a hefty fine for allegedly defrauding donors of his anti-corruption and political activities. He was also charged with contempt of court during a trial in a separate case.

Navalny is being tried by a Moscow court while serving a 2.8 year term under a separate sentence. The new case stems from the way his organizations used money collected through crowdfunding in Russia, which the prosecution alleges amounted to defrauding donors for personal gain.

A separate charge involves Navalny’s behavior during an earlier trial, during which he allegedly showed contempt of court by insulting the judge. The activist pleaded not guilty on all charges.

The case before the Lefortovo court in the Russian capital focuses on donations by four individuals, which in total amounted to some $24,000 at the current exchange rate. The fine that the court was asked to claim from Navalny amounts to roughly half that much.

The prosecution alleges that some of the money donated to Navalny’s organizations went to cover the personal expenses of the defendant and his associates, who currently reside outside of Russia.

It also claims there was an element of fraud in the sense that the team couldn’t legally pursue the cause for which some of the donations were being collected, namely to run Navalny’s presidential campaign in 2018. He was barred from seeking the office by a criminal sentence, which he insisted was politically motivated and could be overturned.

The contempt of court charges came from the trial that Navalny stood last year for insulting a World War II veteran. During the proceedings, which he denounced as illegitimate, the man used disparaging language towards the judge, including by comparing her to a Nazi German officer.

The Russian government has previously cracked down on Navalny’s operations in the country, adding various organizations associated with him to the list of extremist entities. Groups like his Anti-Corruption Foundation were using foreign and domestic funding to destabilize Russia through inciting protests rather than honestly pursuing legitimate goals of tackling corruption and political campaigning, Moscow claimed.

Navalny is already serving a jail term for violating the terms of his parole in another fraud case, in which he was originally sentenced to a suspended term. The prosecutor on Tuesday asked the court to order his transfer to another prison with more strict rules for inmates.

Navalny claims the Russian government wants to silence him and even sent assassins to unsuccessfully try to kill him. Moscow denies the allegations and claims they are part of the West-orchestrated campaign to discredit Russia, in which Navalny knowingly played a part.

[TsarSamuil]

Navalny sentenced to nine more years in prison.

RT.com
22 Mar, 2022 12:34

Russian opposition figure Alexey Navalny has been sentenced to nine years in prison in a fraud and contempt of court case. The activist was already serving a two years and eight months term under a separate sentence. The activist has also been sent to a higher security facility, with a more restrictive regime for inmates.

Navalny pleaded not guilty during the trial, in which prosecutors had sought 13 years behind bars. The ruling can be appealed.

On Tuesday, the Lefortovo court in Moscow agreed with the prosecution, which had argued that in some cases, large donations to Navalny’s anti-corruption and political campaigning organizations were used by him and his co-conspirators to cover personal expenses. Navalny was ordered to pay a 1.2 million rubles ($11,500) fine in addition to the time behind bars.

Part of the punishment is over Navalny’s previous behavior in the courtroom, last year, when he was tried for insulting a Second World War veteran, Ignat Artemenko, then aged 91. The activist denounced the proceedings as illegitimate and used disparaging language towards the judge. At one point, he addressed her by the rank of a Nazi officer.

Under the sentence, after his prison term ends Navalny will have to serve one and half extra years of probation, with certain restrictions placed on his movements.

The activist is already serving a jail term in a separate case involving fraud, with centers around the French company Yves Rocher. He was originally given a suspended sentence, but a court later ruled that he had violated the terms of his probation and sent him to prison last year. Navalny's supporters have complained that he was outside the country, recovering from an alleged poisoning attempt, and was unable to meet the requirements.

The opposition figure claims he is being persecuted by the Russian government, which, he says, has tried to assassinate him. Moscow denies this, and has accused Navalny of working with hostile foreign governments to tarnish Russia’s reputation.

[TsarSamuil]

Russia bans Western NGOs.

RT.com
8 Apr, 2022 21:40

Russia has ordered shut more than a dozen local branches of nonprofits, foundations and other NGOs based in the West, saying they have violated Russian law.

Among the organizations affected are Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the Carnegie Foundation for International Peace, and several German and Polish NGOs.

The Justice Ministry in Moscow announced on Friday that it will be removing from the registry fifteen Russian branches of organizations based in the US, UK, Germany, and Poland, citing “identified violations of Russian law.”

Russia’s ban applies to branches of the UK-based Amnesty International Ltd, the US-based Carnegie Foundation for International Peace, Human Rights Watch Inc, and the Institute for International Education. Russian branches of the Swiss-based Aga Khan Foundation and the Polish NGO Wspólnota Polska were likewise shuttered.

Most of the banned NGOs are German, however, including the foundations named after Friedrich Naumann, Friedrich Ebert, Konrad Adenauer, Hanns Seidel, Heinrich Boell, and Rosa Luxemburg – as well as the German Research Foundation offices in Russia.

Amnesty International claimed on Thursday that Russia engaged in “extrajudicial executions and other unlawful killings” in Ukraine that need to be investigated as war crimes. Russia has rejected these accusations, which originated with the Ukrainian government, insisting that its ongoing military operation in Ukraine is not targeting civilians.

Meanwhile, US Senators Rick Scott (R-Florida) and Mike Braun (R-Indiana) have proposed a bill that would block any taxpayer funding to Amnesty International (AI), accusing the group of “false, antisemitic reports attacking Israel, America's strongest ally in the Middle East.”

The two senators said AI has received more than $2.5 million from the US government over the past 20 years alone.