EXAMPLES OF FORBIDDEN CONTENT
Russian censorship prohibits everything: new articles, pictures, videos, films, books, posters and leaflets – for “extremism”, “arousing hostility”, “calls for separatism”, “insult to representatives of the authorities”, “affront to the feelings of the faithful”, “propaganda for non-traditional sexual relations”, “suicide propaganda”, and so on.
If they publish unwelcome material, people are interrogated, fined, arrested, their websites are blocked. Social media users are punished for comments and re-posting. Here are just a few examples…
1) MATERIALS ABOUT ACTIONS IN DEFENCE OF POLITICAL PRISONERS – “CALLS FOR PARTICIPATION IN ILLEGAL ACTIONS”
Since 13th March, Russian internet providers have blocked access to the websites Grani.ru, Ej.ru, Kasparov.ru, and to opposition member Alexei Navalny’s blog. The Office of the Public Prosecutor judged that these websites contain calls for participation in unlawful actions. The single specific example given by Public Prosecution staff and Roskomnadzor was the publication of an article on Grani.ru regarding the detention of people who took part in an action in defence of the “Bolotnaya detainees” (who demonstrated on the eve of Vladimir Putin’s inauguration, and who were accused of attacking the police). The Office of the Public Prosecutor also showed that a section on EJ.ru, devoted to the “Bolotnaya affair”, “inspires in readers the belief that taking part in unsanctioned protests is acceptable”.
Extract: “…The activists gathered at the Marshal Zhukov monument at 7pm and were talking peacefully, the police were not obstructing them. An hour and a half later, when people were preparing to leave, the activists Yekaterina Maldon and Irina Kalmykova unfolded posters and were immediately arrested.
Then the police arrested Leonid Dubrov, who was singing” Mother of God, get rid of Putin” and unfolding a poster with the words of the punk- prayer. Ildar Dadin encouraged the participants to remember the badge numbers of those police officers who were breaking the law. Dadin was arrested. Vadim Tsvetkov also found himself in the police van.
On the way to the police station, the police van driver braked sharply several times. As a result, Vadim Tsvetkov injured his head, and was admitted to City Hospital No.1 with concussion. Kalmykova had a swelling on her head and broken glasses…Four of those detained were left with the police overnight”.
2) DUMB WAYS TO DIE VIDEO – “SUICIDE PROPAGANDA”
The famous Metro Trains Melbourne video is an advert about behaving safely on public transport. In Russia the clip has been blocked on the orders of Roscomnadzor, which considered it to be suicide propaganda.
3) MATERIALS ABOUT THE “FEDERALISATION OF SIBERIA” – “ATTACK ON THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE CONSTITUTION”
On 17th August, a group of activists gathered in Novosibirsk to stage a “March for the federalisation of Siberia”, to demand greater independence for that region. The Office of the Public Prosecutor blocked tens of messages about the planned action, and closed down the group on social media. Under the threat of closure, the website Slon.Ru deleted an interview with one of the supporters of the action, Artyom Loskutov. Many other websites followed suit.
Extract: “Artyom Loskutov: “This is absolutely not separatism, everything is within the law. We are talking about the creation of a new “subject” within the Russian Federation…..Our constitution allows for the independence of regions, the law should simply be applied. There should be as much independence as possible. It’s stupid to live in Siberia and enact laws that have been initiated somewhere or other in St Petersburg, by some Milonov or other (Note: the odious St Petersburg deputy who drafted the law on the banning of gay-propaganda). We give our resources, and in return we get a bunch of idiotic laws”.
4) ARTICLE ON THE SACKING OF GAY TEACHERS – “ NON-TRADITIONAL SEXUAL RELATIONS PROPAGANDA”
A court in Khabarovsk fined the editor-in-chief of the “Young Far-Easterner” newspaper, Alexander Suturin, for “propaganda for non-traditional sexual relationships amongst minors”. An action was brought in connection with the publication of an article about the teacher and gay activist Alexander Yermoshkin, who was sacked in response to pressure from religious and right-wing radical organisations.
Extract: Yermoshkin says: “ My very existence is in itself effective proof of the normality of homosexuality. How I dress, my profession, how I live my life – all of these, according to the homophobes, should not be”……The deputy Boris Reznik, and , it’s said, even Barack Obama, are following this case of discriminatory sacking on the basis of sexual orientation”
5) “PUSSY RIOT ICON” – “INSULT TO THE FEELINGS OF BELIEVERS”
“Pussy Riot Icon” is a work created by artists Maria Kiselyova and Artyom Loskutov in support of the arrested performers of the punk-prayer at the Church of Christ the Saviour in 2012. Loskutov was fined for selling t-shirts with this design. In 2013, the website Grani.Ru received two warnings from Roscomnadzor for publishing information about this matter. Subsequently a court judged “Pussy Riot Icon” to be forbidden content, insulting to the feelings of believers.
6) POSTS ABOUT THE GOVERNOR OF THE KUZBASS – “INSULT TO REPRESENTATIVES OF THE AUTHORITIES”
Dmitrii Shipilov, a blogger from Kemerovo region, was sentenced to 11 months of correctional labour for critical posts about the governor, Aman Tuleyev. Subsequently his punishment was transmuted to a stretch in a settlement-colony. Shipilov is currently under arrest.
Extract: “Having given his brain an indirect massage with his index finger, the Kuzbass governor decreed that those inhabitants of the region getting married on 11.11.2011 should be given thirty thousand roubles. Those wishing to hold their wedding on this magical day numbered nearly five hundred couples. By simple mathematics we arrive at the sum of approximately 15 million roubles which were given out in support of young families and a few heathens from, I presume, the regional budget, (and) which, as was revealed by the governor’s deputies, is bursting at the seams. We need to remember the following. The recently trumpeted charitable “marathon”, “Kuzbass – land of kindness”, aimed to reach a target of 16 (sixteen) million roubles. So, the administration of the Kemorovo region has no money for its sick children, but it does have money to support its number-obsessed newlyweds!”
7) POEM IN SUPPORT OF UKRAINE – “INCITING HATRED AND ENMITY”
Alexander Byvshev, a rural teacher from Orlov region, posted his poem “To Ukrainian patriots” on social media. The teacher suffered harassment, and the Office of the Public Prosecutor brought a criminal case against him on the grounds of “inciting hatred and enmity”. Byvshev faces four years imprisonment.
Extract:
“Meet your enemies as your ancestors did
So that here, no other boots can clatter
Prepare for them a porridge of lead
May God protect you in the merciless battle!”
8) COLLAGE IN SUPPORT OF UKRAINE – “ PROMOTION OF FASCIST SYMBOLISM”
Ksenya Sergeyeva, a political activist from Novgorod, posted this collage on her homepage on social media. She was accused of “promoting fascist symbolism with the Russian flag in the background”. A criminal case has been brought against Sergeyeva, and she faces four years in prison.