Support The Moscow Times!

Russia Continues Fall in Internet Freedom Ranking — Freedom House

Alexander Avilov / Moskva News Agency

Russia's rating in the World Internet Freedom Index has fallen for the sixth consecutive year according to a report published by Freedom House on Thursday. 

The annual survey ranks 65 countries on a 100-point scale — with higher scores corresponding to a greater degree of internet censorship. Countries are classified as “free,” “not free” or “partially free” based on criteria such as rights violations and countrywide internet access.

Russia now ranks 53rd in the report with 65 points, behind Thailand and Gambia, and is classified as “not free.”

The report criticized the Russian government’s decision to block the Telegram messenger app earlier this year over “its refusal to make encrypted data accessible to the Federal Security Services.”  

The organization further slammed Russia for the adoption of anti-terror legislation known as the “Yarovaya laws,” which require Russian telecom companies to store users’ communications for six months after they are made. The legislation, which came into force in July, has been labeled by activists as “Russia's big brother law.” 

In April this year, thousands of protesters gathered in Moscow to express their support for internet freedom. Following the government’s ban on Telegram, Russians across the country also flew paper planes from their windows in solidarity with the messaging app. 

According to Freedom House, Russia’s decline in internet freedom is part of a general trend, with 26 countries in total seeing their internet freedoms curbed in the past year.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

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.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more