OSLO, Norway — Amid its war on Ukraine, Russia continues to block a number of external religious websites, social media accounts and apps from several countries, preventing believers of various faiths from accessing information and engaging in dialogue, according to a human rights watch group. Forum 18 — a news service that partners with the Norwegian Helsinki Committee in defending freedom of religion, thought and conscience — posted an updated list of affected sites Oct. 4. “I think it illustrates the Russian authorities’ … obsessions, if you like, in blocking what they call extremist content,” Felix Corley, Forum 18 editor and researcher, said, noting that the bans are also operative in Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine. Christian and Muslim sites, as well as news and nongovernmental organizations covering religious freedom, have been banned by Russia. (OSV News)
