Russia said Thursday that Google and Apple’s refusal to remove jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny’s app ahead of elections could be seen as interference in the country’s domestic affairs.
The country is holding parliamentary elections later this month, with nearly all vocal Kremlin critics including Navalny’s allies barred from running.
Roskomnadzor, the Internet and telecom regulator, barred dozens of websites linked to Navalny including his main website navalny.com. In the course of the summer, the watchdog demanded that YouTube block Navalny’s channel; then Google and Apple were required to remove the politician’s app from their stores.
On Thursday, Roskomnadzor ramped up pressure on the Western tech giants by saying they could be held criminally liable if they continue to refuse to comply with Russian law.
“Criminal liability is foreseen for organizing as well as taking part in the work of extremist organizations banned in Russia,” the watchdog said in a statement carried by Russian news agencies.
Foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said U.S. tech giants ignoring requests by Russian authorities to delete “illegal content” had become “systemic.”
In separate moves, Russia recently imposed record fines on Western digital giants for violating personal data and antimonopoly laws.
This is an adjusted version of an AFP story which initially appeared in The Moscow Times.
