Radio Liberty reports that the majority of OSCE member states has voted for the draft declaration, although those countries that believe the Internet is shattering their political systems have opposed the adoption of the draft.  The consensus was failed, but the blocking of the draft declaration initiated debates on fundamental human rights.

“We must admit that the rights that people enjoy in the Internet are just as important as the human rights in real life.  Fundamental rights – freedom of expression, freedom of peaceful gathering, freedom of unity and religious belief, must be insured in Twitter and Facebook to the same extent as at public demonstrations,” Hillary Clinton, who participated in the OSCE Ministerial, said.  According to her, Russia believes the Internet is of threat for its political system.  Radio Liberty reports that in response to this Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused OSCE in having double standards and left Lithuania on December 7 without participating in the conclusive session. 

Meanwhile, gazeta.ru reports that as it is said in the OSCE draft declaration – “limitation of the freedom of expression in the Internet is acceptable if it coincides with international standards,” and “forceful blocking of websites, IP addresses, ports, network protocols and different Internet-resources is a last resort.” 

According to the draft declaration allocation of user-uncontrollable filters uncontrollable by a State, or provider must be counted a censorship.  The State must also insure Internet availability for all. 

At the same time Russian independent media outlets report that the Federal Security Service (FSB) has activated pressure on social networks.  As PavelDurov, creator of the Russian social network VKontakte told gazeta.ru Russian intelligence services request him to close opposition groups.  According to Durov the network administration will not obey the FSB request. 

“Last several days FSB has been requesting us to close opposition groups, including yours,” Durov wrote to the administrator of the group created in support to popular blogger Alexey Navalny, who has been arrested for 15 days.  “We are not doing it principally and I do not know how this will all end for us, but we are standing grounds so far,” Durov stresses. 

Another Russian publication RossiiskayaGazeta (Russian Newspaper) published an interview with the Head of Special Technical Activities of Russian Interior Ministry Alexey Moshkov, who states that along with the good social networks often bear potential threats against Russian political system, as quite often “extremist groups are created” in those networks.  Moshkov proposes for the users to refuse registration in the Internet anonymously.

Source: Media.ge