New website to be created to replace blocked Open Russia website - Khodorkovsky
MOSCOW. Dec 21 (Interfax) - The website Open Russia, which was earlier blocked on the territory of Russia as violating legislation on unwelcome organizations, is halting operations and its editorial staff is launching a new project called MBKh media, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, former Yukos CEO and founder of the movement Open Russia, said.
"The editorial staff of the website Open Russia is beginning to work on a new project, MBKh media. It is a new website, which is owned by me personally," Khodorkovsky said in a statement posted on the MBKh media website.
He said this decision was made because the litigation on the lifting of the blocking of the site can take almost a year and he plans to "begin other forms of information countering" only if all methods envisaged by the law are exhausted.
An editorial statement posted on the Open Russia website said that the new project will address the same issues as Open Russia: "free information, freedom of expression, special attention to regions, and support of small people."
"The entire editorial staff of Open Russia will work on the project. MBKh media is not connected to the movement Open Russia, but belongs personally to Russian citizen Mikhail Khodorkovsky," the statement said.
It was reported on December 12 that the website of the Russian movement Open Russia, founded by Khodorkovsky, was blocked on the territory of Russia as breaching the legislation on unwelcome organizations.