MOSCOW. Feb 8 (Interfax) - The Russian telecommunications watchdog Roskomnadzor has permanently blocked access to the Moscow Helsinki Group (MHG) website for Russian users over its repeated publication of content banned in Russia, specifically, false and discrediting information about the Russian Armed Forces, Roskomnadzor told Interfax on Wednesday.
"In accordance with the Law On Information, Information Technology and Information Protection, access to the website of the Moscow Helsinki Group human rights organization is restricted permanently due to numerous publications of banned content," the regulator said in reply to an inquiry from Interfax.
The watchdog said in its answer to Interfax that it had identified materials containing "false socially important information and also discrediting the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation" on the MHG website.
"The Moscow City Court earlier upheld a lawsuit from the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation and dissolved the MHG organization," Roskomnadzor said.
According to information provided by the watchdog's service that helps check access restrictions to webpages and websites, access to the MHG website is now restricted in Russia. However, who sought the website's inclusion in the register of information banned in Russia is not specified.
On January 25, the Moscow City Court liquidated Moscow Helsinki Group, upholding the lawsuit filed by the Moscow branch of the Russian Justice Ministry. MHG then said it would appeal the decision.
According to the Justice Ministry's lawsuit, it detected violations dating back to 2019-2021 during an unscheduled inspection in November 2022. In particular, MHG members took part in events outside of Moscow, whereas the organization is regional, according to its charter, it said.