The country's largest online book retailer, Ozon.ru, denied Tuesday that it had refused to sell a history of the Federal Security Service after the FSB started investigating the book’s publishers.
The book's editor, Dmitry Litvinov, wrote on his LiveJournal blog that he had obtained an e-mail from Ozon.ru, which said that it had pulled the book after determining that it “posed risks for the company” in connection with the FSB check.
Ozon.ru denied the claim, providing a direct link to the page where the book could be purchased, Gazeta.ru reported. The book could not be found through a search at Ozon.ru on Tuesday afternoon, but appeared in search results later that day, listed as “not in stock.”
The book, "The New Nobility: The Restoration of Russia's Security State and the Enduring Legacy of the KGB," by journalists Andrei Soldatov and Irina Borogan, came out in English last year and was released in Russia this summer.
Last week, the FSB requested “data on the people who ordered the book printed” from the printing house. No explanation was given for the request.
The publisher, Alpina Business Books, is part of Sanoma Independent Media, which publishes The Moscow Times.
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.
