Russia blocks website of group that tracks political arrests

By DASHA LITVINOVA
Associated Press

MOSCOW (AP) — A Russian organization that tracks political arrests and provides legal aid to detainees says government regulators have blocked its website. OVD-Info said in a tweet on Saturday that it wasn’t formally notified about the action by Russia’s internet and communications watchdog, Roskomnadzor. The group says it doesn’t know the reason the reason for the decision beyond that it was ordered by a court outside Moscow on Monday. Russian authorities have mounted pressure on human rights groups and independent media in recent months. Roskomnadzor told the Interfax news agency that OVD-Info’s website was blocked because the court found the group engaged in “propaganda of terrorism and extremism.” A group co-founder denied the accusation.