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   "A wider campaign against human rights"  Experts condemn Russia's escalation   
   against VPNs and encrypted apps   
      
   Date:   
   Thu, 18 Sep 2025 12:04:18 +0000   
      
   Description:   
   WhatsApp is set to be the latest victim of Moscow censorship, while   
   government-backed services are forced into new devices.   
      
   FULL STORY   
      
   A group of over 30 experts is condemning Russia's escalation against VPNs and   
   encrypted apps.    
      
   The signatories of the open letter published on September 16, 2025, also   
   contest the forced pre-installation of unencrypted alternatives on Russian   
   devices. These include civil societies, like Access Now, Article 19, the   
   Center for Democracy & Technology, and the Tor Project, alongside tech   
   providers behind some of the best VPN and encrypted email services (Nord   
   Security, Proton, and Tuta Mail).    
      
   "The blocking of encrypted services in Russia, combined with the mandatory   
   deployment of non-encrypted state-controlled apps, should be understood as   
   part of a wider campaign against human rights, rather than isolated acts of   
   regulation," reads the open letter .    
      
   The pledge comes as WhatsApp, the only encrypted messaging app still working   
   in Russia, risks becoming the latest victim of Moscow's censorship. While   
   starting from September 1, the government-backed MAX app must be    
   pre-installed on every new smartphone and tablet sold in Russia.    
      
   In July, the Kremlin also passed a new law against 'extremist' content search   
   , which makes using a VPN to access this content a crime as an aggravating   
   factor. It's worth noting that authorities define Meta, the provider behind   
   WhatsApp, as an extremist organization.    
      
   That's why, according to experts, the international community must respond   
   with clarity and resolve this matter. "Free, private, and secure    
   communication is not a privilege, but a fundamental right that must be   
   protected everywhere," they added.   
      
   Russia's attack on encrypted chats   
      
   Roskomnadzor, the infamous Russian censor body, is responsible for the   
   blocking of countless websites and applications over the years  including   
   encrypted messaging apps that should help citizens keep their conversations   
   private and secure.    
      
   Access to both Proton Mail and Tuta Mail , for example, has been restricted   
   since 2020. Russian authorities also banned Signal in 2024 , and are now   
   considering a ban on WhatsApp .    
      
   According to experts, these actions "violate internationally recognized human   
   rights," including people's rights to free speech, access to information, and   
   privacy.    
      
   "Encryption is a fundamental right," said Matthias Pfau, CEO of Tuta Mail.    
   "By blocking access to secure communication, Russia wants to control its   
   entire population, including journalists, activists, and anyone having   
   opposing ideas to the ruling class."    
      
   At the same time, the Kremlin is working on expanding the reach of its   
   national digital sovereignty system by forcing citizens to use    
   state-developed applications.    
      
   Experts have already expressed serious concerns after analyzing the latest   
   VK-made software, MAX. A messaging app with " an enormous surveillance   
   potential ," they warn.   
      
   A crackdown on circumvention tools    
      
   The Kremlin's fight against VPN, proxy servers, and the Tor Browser certainly   
   isn't new. As more people in Russia have turned to circumvention tools to   
   bypass ever-stricter internet censorship, authorities have been doing their   
   best to prevent this.    
      
   While their use isn't completely banned, ever-sophisticated VPN blocking   
   techniques mean that many services may get blocked or throttled. That's why   
   it's vital for anyone in Russia to pick a VPN with strong    
   censorship-resistant features like Proton VPN , NordVPN , or Amnezia VPN .    
      
   In March 2024, the government introduced a law to criminalize the spread of   
   information about ways to circumvent internet restrictions.    
      
   That's likely the basis that led Roskomnadzor to issue VPN removal demands   
   against Big Tech giants. Apple was the most complainant, killing at least 60   
   VPN apps , including the popular Russian service Amnezia VPN , from July 2024   
   onwards.    
      
   The July 2025 law introduces additional penalties for violating rules on VPN   
   usage, despite still not directly prohibiting the use of VPNs. Yet it adds to   
   the ongoing crackdown against VPN users.    
      
   As experts note, "restricting both encrypted communication platforms and VPNs   
   leaves people in Russia with exceedingly few options for secure   
   communication."   
      
   ======================================================================   
   Link to news story:   
   https://www.techradar.com/vpn/vpn-privacy-security/a-wider-campaign-against-hu   
   man-rights-experts-condemn-russias-escalation-against-vpns-and-encrypted-apps   
      
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