Voice of America
27 Jul 2021, 06:05 GMT+10
Russian officials have blocked access to the website of jailed opposition leader Alexey Navalny along with dozens of other websites run by allies of him.
Russian internet regulator Roskomnadzor said it blocked navalny.com along with the other sites at the request of the prosecutor general.
Included in the blocked sites is the website of Navalny's top strategist, Leonid Volkov, along with the website for Navalny's Foundation for Fighting Corruption, and the site for the Navalny-backed Alliance of Doctors union.
The move comes ahead of September's parliamentary elections, seen as a key part of President Vladimir Putin's efforts to increase his support before a 2024 presidential election.
Last month, a Russian court ruled that organizations linked to Navalny were "extremist," barring them from operating and preventing people associated with them from running for public office.
Navalny is Putin's most prominent critic, and his organization has worked to expose corruption in Russia.
He is currently serving a 2 1/2-year jail sentence for parole violations stemming from a 2014 embezzlement conviction, which he says was politically motivated.
Navalny has accused the Kremlin of trying to poison him with a nerve agent, an accusation the government denies.
His arrest and jailing earlier this year sparked a wave of protests across Russia and have been condemned by Western nations.
Some information for this report came from The Associated Press and Reuters.
Get a daily dose of Irish Sun news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Irish Sun.
More InformationKHAN YOUNIS, Gaza - Seven Israeli soldiers were killed in a large explosion in southern Gaza's Khan Younis area on Tuesday night,...
DUBAI, U.A.E.: Iran's top clerics are quietly accelerating succession plans for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was threatened...
BEIJING, China: Extreme weather is once again testing China's resilience, as intensifying monsoon rains trigger floods across major...
LONDON/PARIS: British and French authorities have warned people to stay safe as an early summer heat wave brings unusually high temperatures...
ANKARA, Turkey: Amid rising tensions in the Middle East, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) announced it would form a new...
WASHINGTON DC, - U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed a ceasefire has been reached between Israel and Iran. He made the claim on...
DUBLIN, Ireland: Fifteen Irish citizens and their dependents have been evacuated from Israel due to the heightened state of alert over...
DUBLIN, Ireland: Dublin Airport has received a warning for going over its allowed number of passengers. As part of a rule set by...
ANKARA, Turkey: A Turkish far-right politician went on trial Wednesday, facing charges of inciting public hatred—an episode critics...
ZURICH, Switzerland: A wave of central banks across Europe surprised markets last week by lowering interest rates, responding to easing...
ZURICH, Switzerland: The Swiss National Bank (SNB) lowered its key interest rate to zero percent on June 19 to respond to falling inflation,...
THE HAGUE, Netherlands: The city that prides itself on being a beacon of peace and justice—home to institutions like the International...