Russia Cracks Downs on Bloggers, Independent Media

[uhnope]

In case there is anyone out there still unsure about Putin and his dictatorship, maybe this will hit home.

News websites, blogs, and a television channel that have served as independent sources of information and aired voices of the opposition in Russia are being shut down, either under direct order of the government or through indirect official pressure. Media censorship in Russia has surged since the start of the crisis in Ukraine and has been accompanied by an increase in official propaganda on state-owned television stations.

Please note

The Russian parliament is now discussing legislation that would force popular bloggers to register as accredited media,

http://fsrn.org/2014/04/russian-government-cracks-down-on-independent-media-and-opposition-websites/

[The Magistrate]

1. One Takes 'Champions Of Freedom' as One Finds Them, Sir....

To be fair, it is pretty slim pickings for the 'lefter than thou' claque in the present situation: two cliques of oligarchs and kleptocrats duking it out for the chance to mulct the people of a country which was the focus of some of the worst atrocity of the twentieth century, and has not nearly yet recovered socially or culturally from the experience. About the only standard they have is that one side presents the other as being wholly the creation of the United States; a false charge, but all they have to go by....

[okaawhatever]

2. I didn't think there were very many independents left. I tried doing some research to find a good

source of info on Russia when the Ukraine situation started and every reputable site I found listed somewhere wouldn't come up on the internet.

[Cayenne]

3. Diane Feinstein pushing the same

"Freedom of speech is a privilege intended for educated professionals. It should be illegal for a high-school dropout to promote anti-government propaganda on his 5 dollar blog, if he cannot properly verify his statements."

Probably only a few years behind. First we need a department of truth and fairness.

[uhnope]

4. that's a misquote. She didn't say that.

http://tcantine.blogspot.com/2014/03/thats-not-what-she-said.html

[seveneyes]

5. Links?

I'm not finding any URLs or other information to verify this crackdown. Nothing in the report mentioned any sites that are now not available. Anyone have any links that suddenly don't work anymore?

[jakeXT]

6. The Kasprov and Navalny story again ? /nt