In Crimea security forces paralyzed the work of internet resource due to last year’s blog

In Sevastopol, the employees of the Novosti Sevastopolya (News of Sevastopol) internet resource were searched and their office equipment (computers, laptops, tablets, phones) was seized.

As reported, on January 28, by the Crimean Human Rights Group on their Facebook page, this led to the paralysis of the work of the website.

“According to Oleksandr Karlyuk, the employee of the website, on January 27 at 7 am, security officers wearing masks conducted search in his house, seized all office equipment and summoned Karlyuk to the “Investigative Committee”, where he gave testimony for more than 9 hours”, – said human rights defenders.

As the editorial staff has later explained, in such manner, officers of the office for the investigation of particularly important cases of the Investigative Department of Sevastopol of the Investigative Committee of Russia were searching contacts of the user, who posted two notes in the “Blog” section of the website in May 2016.

“In which (notes) he said that one of the officers of the Prosecutor’s Office of Gagarin District was a long-term drug addict, but the authorities turned a blind eye to his addiction, until he was detained by the FSB”, – published the editorial staff.

According to the editorial staff, during the investigative actions the website staff member testified that “anyone of registered users can post information in the “Blog section”.

In Spring 2016, massive searches took place in the Crimea, including in the houses of independent journalists who are suspected of collaboration with Krym.Realiyi in spring in Crimea. A case was opened with respect to the Radio Liberty’s reporter Mykola Semena on suspicion of calling for the violation of the territorial integrity of the Russian Federation. Russian investigation forbade him to leave the peninsula.

On August 23, his defense submitted a request to FSB to allow Semena to leave Crimea for medical treatment. 

Crimean department of FSB refused to satisfy the request of the journalist.