Roskomnadzor has blocked 20 links to pages mentioning the Project’s investigations of Kadyrov, Kolokoltsev and the Russian Orthodox Church

Roskomnadzor at the request of the Prosecutor General’s Office blocked 20 links to pages where Proekt’s investigations were mentioned. In particular, these are the pages of the sites good-novosti.top, “In course”, obuv-patriotplus.ru, “kompromata.net”, “anticorrosive”, “ruspres”, kompromat.io, “Echo of Russia” and The world news. The project “Roskomsvoboda” drew attention to the block.

The investigations that were mentioned told about the real estate of the head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov and his family, about the Minister of the Interior, Alexander Kolokoltsev, and the Russian Orthodox Church.

Project Edition was recognized an undesirable organization in July 2021. The junk status prohibits an organization from doing business in Russia. For cooperation with an “undesirable” organization (including an unofficial one), there is an administrative penalty: ordinary citizens – a fine of up to 15 thousand rubles, officials – up to 50 thousand, organizations – up to 100 thousand. Criminal proceedings can be initiated for multiple violations. For financing an “undesirable” organization, punishment is imposed from 1 to 5 years in a penal colony, and for organizing activities in Russia – from 2 to 6 years in a penal colony.

Ministry of Justice of Russia introduced in the register of media outlets performing the functions of a foreign agent, journalists of the Proekt and Open Media publications. The list includes editor-in-chief of the Project Roman Badanin and editor-in-chief of Open Media Yulia Yarosh.

Also included in the register were journalists Maxim Glikin, Petr Manyakhin (author in Project), Olga Churakova (author in Project), Maria Zheleznova (editor of Project. Opinions), Yulia Lukyanova (author in Project) and Elizaveta Maetnaya (journalist for Radio Liberty).

“The reason for this decision was that its activities pose a threat to the foundations of the constitutional order and security of the Russian Federation,” the prosecutor’s office said in a statement.