Moscow police stop civilians, DEMAND to see phone texts, images to stamp out dissent
As reported by reporter Anya Vasileva via a Telegram post, police in Moscow are stopping civilians and demanding to read the text messages on their phones, images, and other personal information. This Telegram was shared on Sunday, March 6.
Police officers near Detskiy Mir, a renowned Russian toy store in Lubyanka Square in Moscow, were stopping people and ordering them to show their phones. If any civilian did not comply with their demand, the police simply did not let them pass.
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Reporter Vasileva said, "I came up and asked them on what grounds they are doing this. The police checked my press card and declined to comment." She continued, "I remind you, that phones are protected by end-to-end encryption. It is illegal for the police to order you to show them your phone's contents!" She stated that according to the Library of Congress and the video she shared, police appeared to stop several people and scrolled their phones. Russian authorities can access communications on the personal phones or devices like tablets or computer without a warrant.
This is a result of the new law that Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed recently. Under this new draconian measure, anyone who shares "false information" shall be punished. This is particularly in regards to the Ukraine war. The person who 'creates rumors' can face upto 15 years in prison. Additionally, this law also looks at punishing those who support acts or movements against Russia or vote for Putin to end the invasion in Ukraine.
March 6, Sunday, was the eleventh day of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. This has resulted in outrage and protests not just globally, but also within Russia by prominent celebrities and business tycoons. Earlier this week, Russian authorities also allegedly started blocking or limiting access to social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter in an attempt to cut itself from the rest of world's internet.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Sunday that the United States has seen "very credible reports of deliberate attacks on civilians" in Ukraine at the hands of Russian forces, which he said would constitute a war crime. Ukrainian officials and human rights groups have accused Russia of war crimes, alleging Putin's forces are bombarding civilian populations.
