Russia’s communications regulator Roskomnadzor said that it is blocking access to Facebook, as concerns are growing over a wider crackdown on media and the passage of new restrictions on reporting about the invasion of Ukraine.
Russian officials cited Facebook’s decision to restrict access to state-run Zvezda TV channel, the RIA Novosti news agency, Sputnik, Russia Today and Lenta.ru. Facebook’s Nick Clegg responded in a statement that “soon millions of ordinary Russians will find themselves cut off from reliable information, deprived of their everyday ways of connecting with family and friends and silenced from speaking out.”
Meanwhile, U.S. networks and other news outlets are assessing the situation in Russia for their correspondents, particularly after BBC News’ announcement that it was suspending the work of all of its journalists there following the passage of a law that could lead to up to 15 years imprisonment for the publication of “fake news” concerning its armed forces.
A Washington Post spokeswoman said, “We are assessing the details of the Russian law and its potential impact on our reporting. We intend to exercise caution while seeking clarity about how these reported restrictions would affect Washington Post correspondents and local staff.”
James Longman, ABC News’ foreign correspondent who has been in Moscow, reported on the media crackdown, calling it a “very serious situation,” adding that the government had banned the use of “war” and “invasion” to describe what Vladimir Putin’s regime calls a “special operation.”
“Now journalists in this country face the prospect of a much wider ranging law which could land them lengthy jail sentences,” he said. He said earlier this week that they were not sure what it meant for foreign news reporting, but he has said that Russian security services have made visits to their standup reporting positions. He said that a law that “outlaws help for foreign groups, makes it treason essentially, it’s worrying for us, it’s more worrying for our Russian colleagues here for ABC who work here in Moscow. It is terrifying for them to see Russia change in that way.”
The Russian prosecutor’s office said that providing assistance to a foreign organization or state for “their activities against the security of Russia” would be high treason. The punishment is up to 20 years in prison.
More to come.
