Putin Rushes to Obliterate Russia's Internet
Filed under: Russia
The Other Russia blog reports that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin is rushing to put the final nails in the coffin of Russia's Internet, the country's last bastion of free information and opposition.
First, he's moving against WiFi:
Fontanka.ru online newspaper reports on April 14th, officials of Russia's media and communications agency believe that every wireless user must obtain permission and register their Wi-Fi devices before they can go online. The agency, Rossvyazokhrankultura (short for the Russian Mass Media, Communications and Cultural Protection Service), believes that it can lawfully confiscate wireless devices from anyone violating this directive.
Next, the content itself:
As the Kommersant daily newspaper reported on April 11th, the Prosecutor General's Office has sent in draft amendments to Russia's lower house of Parliament, the State Duma. The text, in part, suggests rigid new standards for holding websites accountable, and asks for increased government control of religious education programs in an effort to fight racist and nationalist crimes.
That's not to say, of course, that the Kremlin is done with its attacks on the vestigial brick-and-mortar modalities of free expression. Our prior post notes the immediate closure of a theater piece about the Dubrovka tragedy, and Other Russia reports that three days ago the government shut down an art exhibit entitled "Prison, Madness, Equality and Justice" because they didn't care for the human rights content. And I've recently documented Putin's more direct strategy in regard to the Internet: Prosecuting and jailing the bloggers themselves.
Welcome back to the USSR!
NOTE: To comment on this post for publication, write to: kimzigfeld@gmail.com
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