In Chechnya, all Internet service providers block access to "YouTube"

All mobile operators and other Internet providers, operating in Chechnya, blocked access to the "YouTube" after repeated demands of the Chechen Prosecutor's Office. Some residents of the republic state that even prior to that measure they were able to watch the video "Innocence of Muslims", because of which the access to the largest video hosting was blocked.

Let us remind you that on September 18, the Chechen Prosecutor's Office issued a warning to seven providers, operating in the republic, and demanded to block the access to the "YouTube" because of the posted film "Innocence of Muslims". By September 24, two providers complied with the demand of the Prosecutor's Office.

The warning, issued by Mikhail Savchin, Chechen Prosecutor, was sent to the leaders of seven organizations that provided Internet connection services in the territory of the republic JSC (Joint-Stock Company) "Vainakh Telecom", CJSC (Closed Joint-Stock Company) "Chechenskaya Sotovaya Svyaz", GGMTS FSUE (Grozny City and Intercity Telephone Communications, Federal State Unitary Enterprise) "Elektrosvyaz", the Grozny branch of OJSC (Open Joint-Stock Company) "Vympelkom", OJSC "MTS", LLC (Limited Liability Company) "Orange", and the branch of OJSC "MegaFon" in Chechnya.

CJSC "Vainakh Telecom" and CJSC "Chechenskaya Sotovaya Svyaz" executed the demand; however, the other providers actually ignored the warning of the Prosecutor's Office. After that, the leaders of the organizations were repeatedly warned that their actions could cause administrative measures.

"The film 'Innocence of Muslims', posted on that website, was recognized as extremist and inflaming religious strives, and, therefore, it was decided to limit access to the website," the "Caucasian Knot" was told by a source in the Chechen Prosecutor's Office.

According to him, yesterday, on September 26, all cellular communications companies, operating in the territory of the republic, executed the demand of the Prosecutor's Office and blocked the access to the video hosting "YouTube".

It should be noted that the Tver Court of Moscow scheduled for October 1 the court hearings on the claim of the Prosecutor's Office to recognize the film "Innocence of Muslims" as extremist. In its turn, the Federal Service for Supervision in the Sphere of Telecom, Information Technologies and Mass Communications ("Roskomnadzor") called on the providers of Russian communications to block the access of their subscribers to the film even prior to the court decision, the RIA "Novosti" reports.

Imams of the regions of southern Russia call on people not to raise awareness about the film; however, the Imams have reached no consensus on whether the access to Internet resources should be blocked because of that film. Gadji Murad Gatsalov, Mufti of North Ossetia, believes it to be correct to block access to the "YouTube" because of the scandalous film. Abdulla Ukkuev, Imam of the mosque in the village of Chapaevskoe in Karachay-Cherkessia, does not treat boycotting of the "YouTube" as a way out.

Earlier, a source in the Chechen Muftiate stated that the authors of the film "Innocence of Muslims" intentionally insulted the religious feelings of Muslims. He has added that he does not understand the freedom of speech, which allows "promoting misanthropic ideas and slinging mud a religion, whatever it is Islamic, Christian, Jewish or whatever else."