Access to Moscow Helsinki Group website restricted

No explanation of why the website has been blocked

08.02.2023

Access to the human rights organisation’s website has been restricted across the Russian Federation, according to data from the service run by the regulator (Roskomnadzor) that monitors access restrictions to websites and/or internet webpages.

“We have not received any enquiries, warnings or cautions from any law enforcement or supervisory bodies. We will try to get to the bottom of who might have a grievance against our website content,” Svetlana Astrakhantseva, the organisation’s executive director, told RBC.

At the end of January 2023, the Moscow City Court enforced a claim lodged by the Ministry of Justice that closed down the Moscow Helsinki Group (MHG). The Ministry noted that MHG is a Moscow-based regional organisation and therefore should not be able to carry out its work in other regions.

The court decision has not yet come into force and can be appealed. Henry Reznik, a member of MHG, said that he was planning to appeal against the decision to close the Group.

MHG is Russia’s oldest human rights organisation. It was founded in 1976 by physicist and human rights activist, Yuri Orlov. The organisation aims to promote the implementation of the humanitarian articles of the Helsinki Final Act 1975 on civil, political, economic, social, cultural and other human rights and freedoms.

Source: https://www.asi.org.ru/news/2023/02/08/k-sajtu-moskovskoj-helsinkskoj-gruppy-ogranichili-dostup/