Russian federal agency Roskomnadzor threatens to restrict access to a Kazakhstani website

The editorial staff of the website www.rikatv.kz , a part of media-holding RIKA (Aktobe) received a notification from Roskomnadzor demanding to delete an information published on 17 February 2017. The publication told about a resident of Emba (Aktobe region) poured petrol over himself,  set himself on fire and tried to enter the building of District department of internal affairs. The publication contains reference to the department’s press-service that provided the official information about this case.

Roskomnadzor considered the publication as a breach of Russian legislation and threatened to restrict access to the website in case the publication is not deleted. It should be noted that it is the second such case in a month. On 30 March the editorial staff had to delete its publication about military police officer who fired a pistol at his head.

Roskomnadzor informed that “this publication contains information about ways of committing suicide, calls for committing suicide” and should be deleted in 24 hours otherwise the access to the website on the territory of the Russian Federation would be restricted.

"Probably, we will have to avoid publishing any information about suicides in order not to get a scolding  from rigorous  Roskomnadzor, that views ordinary statements of facts as call to commit a suicide” – Marina Vasilyeva,  the chief editor of RIKA Media Group, said.