Russia's communications watchdog Roskomnadzor warned Tuesday that the Russian-language online encyclopedia Lurkmore will be completely blocked for failing to delete pages related to "narcotics and pedophilia."
Last weekend was the deadline for Lurkmore to delete those pages, so the watchdog will now start blocking access to them, the watchdog said in a post on Russian social network VKontakte.
Because the links contested by the Federal Drug Control Service use https in their address, Internet providers will simply block access to the site altogether, the statement said.
Lurkmore, which features thousands of articles and focuses on Internet culture including slang and memes, is one of the top 200 most popular Russian websites, according to global website analysis firm Alexa.
The site was reportedly founded in 2007 by a Russian named Dmitry Khomak. Roskomnadzor appealed to Khomak personally in its VKontakte post.
"Dear Dmitry Khomak, how has it come to this? We had worked together so well," said the post, accompanied by a photo of a cat making a pouty, regretful face.
In late 2012 the site began blocking access to certain pages related to drug use in an effort to avoid being blocked after a new law prohibited online content pertaining to drugs, suicide or child pornography, Russian media reported.
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.
