Spotlight on: Eastern Europe and Central Asia

In this special issue of the Access Now Express newsletter, our EECA team shares news on Russia’s VPN bans, the battle to #KeepItOn in Central Asia, the spread of spyware, and other digital rights updates from across the region. If you have feedback or want to suggest a topic or theme for a future special issue, we want to hear from you! Reach out to us at [email protected]

Putin’s digital vise tightens

Russia is banning more VPNs. Will Big Tech continue playing into Putin’s hands?

Earlier this month Apple removed at least 25 virtual private network (VPN) apps from the App Store in Russia — tools that are vital for journalists, activists, and other members of Russian civil society to communicate securely and freely. Apple told VPN service providers that they removed the apps per the demands of Russian state censor Roskomnadzor. Unfortunately, we’ve seen Apple capitulate to the censors before, when it pulled opposition leader Alexey Navalny’s Smart Voting app from its store during Russian elections. Putin prevailed; Navalny died in prison. Please urge Apple to push back and restore access to the VPNs. If you’re in Russia and you need digital safety assistance, we encourage you to reach out to our Russian partner Na Svyazi via their Telegram bot @Na_svyazi_helpdesk_bot, or contact Access Now’s Digital Security Helpline, which can help you in Russian. Read more via TechRadar

YouTube is throttled in Russia. Is blocking next?

Russia heavily censors online spaces, and has already blocked X, Facebook, and Instagram. Now, according to media reports, the Kremlin is slowing access to YouTube. While officials have tried to shift the blame to Google, a pro-government media outlet reports that Russian authorities may be “planning to permanently block” YouTube in September. YouTube previously blocked anti-war videos and threatened to block human rights-related videos and channels, but it appears that might not be enough to appease the censors. Read the open letter Access Now and 20+ Russian and international civil society organizations sent, urging YouTube to stand strong and safeguard civil space online. Read more via Meduza

First, do no harm

We can’t let new Russia sanctions hurt civil society

The U.S. Department of the Treasury has issued new sanctions to intensify the pressure on Russia for the war against Ukraine. However, in line with Access Now’s recommendations, federal authorities have maintained authorizations for certain telecommunication and internet-related transactions, as well as humanitarian transactions designed to mitigate the impacts on Russian civil society. We’re pleased to see the new statement reiterating that the U.S. “strongly supports the free flow of information and communications globally, and these actions are not intended to disrupt civil society and civil telecommunications.” We continue to call on the U.S. and other governments to ensure companies do not over-comply with sanction regimes in ways that undermine internet access for communities most at risk. Read more via U.S. Department of Treasury

The battle to #KeepItOn in Central Asia

Kazakh telcos on trial for internet shutdowns

After protests broke out in Kazakhstan in January 2022, authorities responded with a series of internet blackouts — including one that cut internet access nationwide. Now, civil society is pursuing a legal challenge to hold the telcos that implemented the shutdowns accountable. On Tuesday, a district court in Almaty, Kazakhstan held a hearing in a case brought by a coalition of human rights organizations against several Kazakh telcos owned by Kar-Tel LLP and Mobile Telecom Service LLP. The lawsuit, filed in March 2024, is part of a joint initiative fighting internet shutdowns in Kazakhstan, which includes Eurasian Digital Foundation, Access Now, MediaNET, and Media Defense, among others. Learn more about the coalition. Read more via Interet Shutdowns Kazakhstan

Internet amnesty in Turkmenistan?

Turkmenistan is infamous for its extremely restrictive internet shutdowns and attempts to build a National Digital Network to cut people off from the global internet. Any platform or website that hosts criticism of government officials or their policies faces an immediate ban. People are even asked to swear on the Quran not to use circumvention tools. Yet this month, authorities unexpectedly restored access to three billion blocked sites and services. It’s not clear whether this is new policy from Turkmenistan President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, or the result of testing for new firewalls. Regardless, it remains imperative that Turkmenistan restore free and open access to the internet across the country. Read more via Turkmen News

The Pegasus pandemic in Armenia

READ: “Pegasus: targeting Armenia”

A new report from the Armenian NGO Media Diversity Institute sheds light on the scope and scale of spyware attacks in Armenia. It reveals that from mid-2020 to late 2023, at least 200 people may have been impacted, from government leaders to activists and journalists. The report follows a previous joint investigation between Access Now, CyberHUB-AM, the Citizen Lab, Amnesty International’s Security Lab, and independent security expert Ruben Muradyan on spyware attacks in Armenia, which provided the first documented evidence of the use of NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware in an international war context. Read more via Media Diversity Institute

Worried about spyware attacks? We’re here for you

If you are a member of Armenian civil society, and you suspect you may be a victim of spyware, resources are available. For local support, reach out to CyberHUB-AM. For 24/7 digital safety assistance, contact Access Now’s Digital Security Helpline. Read more via Access Now

Opportunities and other highlights

READ: Russian internet blocking timeline (in Russian)

How have Russian authorities leveraged the internet to crack down on dissenting voices and independent sources of information? A timeline from Na Svyazi, Internet Protection Society, and eQualitie offers information about regulations, official statements, and technical developments that affect the enjoyment of digital rights in Russia, as well as predictions about what the future will hold. Read more via Na Svyazi

CyberScoop honors cybersecurity superstars

Cybersecurity is crucial for defending digital rights around the world, and we’re excited to see CyberScoop nominate Natalia Krapiva from our EECA team as a “Most Inspiring Up & Comer” for the CyberScoop 50 awards. Congratulations to all the nominees: you’re making the world safer for everyone! Read more via CyberScoop

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