back to article Russian search giant Yandex blows whistle on whistle-blower

Yandex, which last week announced its intention to list on NASDAQ, says it has been forced by Russian authorities to hand over financial information about an anti-corruption blogger to Russia’s domestic security agency, the FSB. Alexei Navalny, who operates the http://rospil.info RosPil whistle-blower Website in Russia, had …

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Alert

    So?

    Before anyone posts a thing about big brother threats and whatnot Reg should get the source straight.

    - Noone was threated over the financial support.

    - Yandex, like any other services, had no option but to comply with the request.

    However, it is still worrying that the data supposed to be private and priviledged was used outside of court or such. Wait, what? Isn't that almost normal elsewhere? The Russkies are just to immature here leaving footprints all over the place they got the data.

    1. Chris 3
      FAIL

      So you're claiming that:

      "Alexei Navalny, who operates the http://rospil.info RosPil whistle-blower Website in Russia, had complained on his blog that some financial contributors were receiving threatening telephone calls over their support for the site"

      Is incorrect. You're either going to have to supply some evidence, or be quiet.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Nothing to See Here

      "However, it is still worrying that the data supposed to be private and priviledged was used outside of court or such. Wait, what? Isn't that almost normal elsewhere? The Russkies are just to immature here leaving footprints all over the place they got the data."

      Yes, that's the problem. It would be alright if nobody heard about it.

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Stop

    Not that old chestnut?

    "Wait, what? Isn't that almost normal elsewhere?"

    Others are doing it too so it's ok has to be one of the worst arguments out there.

    Unfortunately it's used far too often for comfort. Can there really be that many idiots in the world?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Black Helicopters

      Yes, that old chestnut

      Ignore it or not it is how it works. It can only get a bit more subtle.

      "Anonymous Coward source told Al Rus that a certain well known state officials / dissidents / public servants / ... are supporting a highly controversial effort by a certain person well known to our readers in the name of fighting world injustice. Al Rus is determined to dutifully examine the source's claims, verify and report."

      No threats, sources covered, same effect.

  3. John Smith 19 Gold badge
    Big Brother

    Hosting an anti-corruption blog on an ISP in the *country* you are blogging about

    Is quite risky.

    *Especially* if you blogging about corruption amongst that countries police and security services.

    There are *no* exceptions to this rule.

  4. Zero Sum

    Information passed to Kremlin youth group

    It seems that the FSB passed on the account information to the pro-Kremlim thugs Nashi, one of which posed as a reporter and quizzed donors by phone:

    http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/navalny-donors-fret-about-fsb-leak/436142.html

  5. John Savard

    The Issue

    After the downfall of Communism, the world hoped that Russia would join the civilized community of nations, to become a country where political freedom and individual rights were respected in the same manner, and to the same extent, as in the United States of America or the United Kingdom.

    But this has not happened. The indiscriminate slaughter of civilians in Chechnya, the invasion of Georgia, the illegitimate interference with Kasparov's ability to contest Russian elections - all these things point to the world still suffering under the menace of a nation hostile to freedom being in possession of extensive nuclear armaments. And, of course, there is also China in addition, posing a similar menace, especially since its second-strike capability has grown in recent years.

    The breakthrough that years of vigilance had yielded when Communism collapsed should have been seized and solidified at the time - instead, world peace has slipped through our fingers and again we live in a world not firmly under the control of its free and civilized nations.

    1. Barney Carroll
      Stop

      Must be communism/lack thereof

      Ridiculous. Violent suppression has existed in China and Russia for hundreds upon hundreds of years. To suggest that Western neo-imperialism could've made tactical decisions to completely end that trend after the fall of the Soviet state is hopelessly naive idle theory with no historical precedent.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Well

      Based on what you're saying, Russia is well in the same league as USA and UK, so what are you ranting about?

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