Week-ending 13 March 2026
“RSF refuses to cede ground to digital censors. Since 2015, Operation Collateral Freedom has been working to ensure that people living in closed countries can read, see and hear what their leaders would rather hide from them. The enemies of a free press are constantly refining their blocking tools, while we are perfecting our methods for getting information out where it is banned. Where regimes seek to imprison their populations in propaganda, we create openings to allow independent journalism to circulate.”
– Antoine Bernard, RSF’s Director of Advocacy and Assistance
“Right now the situation with internet censorship in Russia is only getting worse. Our developers use every censorship-circumvention technology available today. They constantly test new solutions, update existing tools and often build tailor-made systems to make sure they actually work on the ground in real-life Russian conditions. In this regard, the role of mirrors and projects like ‘Collateral Freedom’ becomes more crucial than ever. Together with the mirror system provided by Reporters Without Borders, we are able to automatically generate new mirrors of our website whenever the authorities block us. It often feels like a constant cat-and-mouse game: a small team of journalists and engineers trying to stay one step ahead of a state with enormous resources and money. It may seem like an impossible confrontation, but for five years in these only worsening digital conditions we have managed to resist and continue to reach millions of people inside Russia. Of course, we would not be able to do this without support, both from our readers and from our partners. It is important not to take independent journalism for granted and to understand that in countries like Russia today, technology is no longer just a tool for journalism – it is what makes journalism possible”
– Galina Timchenko, Co-fondatrice et PDG de Meduza
Source: ‘Collateral Freedom: 57% of censored news sites mirrored by RSF are blocked by Russia or China,’ RSF, 12 March 2026
Background from RSF: Blocked in the first weeks of Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine, Meduza is the leading independent Russian media outlet in exile and, in March 2022, became one of the first to benefit from Operation Collateral Freedom. However, every time Meduza created a mirror site, the Russian authorities were able to quickly block it. To counter this unprecedented threat, the generation of mirror sites was automated on an unprecedented scale using technology developed by RSF combined with the technical expertise of Meduza’s staff. As a result, 4,556 mirror sites had been created for Meduza by 2025, allowing it to receive a total of 1.9 billion content requests, making it the most visited site of all those benefitting from Operation Collateral Freedom.
“State control over internet infrastructure has long been the top priority for the Russian government. The recent escalation of internet censorship raises serious concerns over the ability of people in Russia to access an open and free internet. […] The rights to freedom of expression and access to information, offline and online, are rights guaranteed under international human rights law. And yet Russian authorities don’t hesitate to blatantly violate these rights.”
– Hugh Williamson, Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch.
Source: ‘Russia: Digital Iron Curtain Falls on Internet Freedom Protection Day,’ HRW, 12 March 2026
Background from HRW: Russian authorities have escalated their internet censorship efforts over the past month, Human Rights Watch said today, a day marked by free speech defenders as World Day Against Cyber Censorship. The government has blocked the most popular social media platform in Russia, coercing users to switch to a state-approved application, as well as circumvention tools. […] The Russian authorities should respect and uphold freedom of expression under international law by ending all censorship of protected free expression on the internet. Any online regulation must meet the criteria of having a lawful basis and a legitimate purpose, while also being necessary and proportionate, meaning it is the least intrusive measure that can achieve the purpose. They should also disclose the technical specifications and capabilities of tools the authorities use to collect data and censor internet traffic.
‘Russia has also intensified its digital repression against the media. In 2025, Ukrainian media outlets faced large-scale cyberattacks, hacking, and temporary takeovers of their websites alongside impersonation designed to undermine their credibility. These tactics are aimed not only at silencing independent reporting but also at eroding public trust in credible sources of information. Russia’s assault on the right to freedom of expression and media freedom is not taking place in isolation but is precisely aimed to enable its ongoing aggression. During armed conflicts, free expression and access to reliable information is a survival right, a lifeline for people trapped in unimaginable violence. We reaffirm our steadfast support for Ukraine and its fight for sovereignty, independence, and fundamental freedoms in the face of continued aggression. We express our full support for the Commission of Inquiry to continue their work in ensuring Russia is held accountable for the grave and harrowing crimes it continues to commit. Any credible path toward sustainable peace must include redress for victims and reparations.’
Source: ‘UN: Ensure justice for Russia’s ongoing crimes in Ukraine,’ Article 19, 12 March 2026
Background from Article 19: ARTICLE 19 thanks the Commission of Inquiry for their report and their vital efforts in ensuring accountability for Russia’s ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine. As we pass the four-year anniversary of the full-scale invasion, ARTICLE 19 takes the opportunity to honour the journalists, human rights defenders, and civilians whose lives have been taken. In Ukraine, journalists and human rights defenders continue to risk their lives to report on the realities of the full-scale invasion. In 2025, Russian crimes against media professionals included attempted assassinations, shelling and drone strikes, injuries, threats, and intimidation. The National Union of Journalists of Ukraine reports that at least 143 media workers have been killed since the start of the full-scale invasion, while dozens remain in captivity.
