Russian Prosecutor General’s Office declares independent media outlet SOTA undesirable

The Russian Prosecutor General’s Office has declared independent media outlet SOTA an undesirable organisation, it announced on Thursday.

“The material published by SOTA media represents a blatant attempt to destabilise the socio-political situation in Russia, misrepresent ... life in the country and create tension and irritation within society,” the statement said.

It said that SOTA’s work aimed “to undermine the spiritual and moral foundations of Russian society” and accused SOTA of “doing the work of” independent media TV Dozhd and The Insider, which have already been declared undesirable.

“Material which discredits the … authorities and the Russian Armed Forces has regularly appeared on its website, for which reason it has been blocked by [media regulator] Roskomnadzor at the request of the Prosecutor General’s Office,” it added.

“SOTA has no links to TV Dozhd, Insider or other ‘Western masters’ we know nothing about. We do, of course, oppose the war and the Putin regime and adhere to objective journalistic standards in our work. That work will continue,” SOTA wrote on Telegram in reaction to the news.

SOTAvision, a separate entity which claims that SOTA stole its Telegram channel and brand, said on Wednesday that it was in no way connected to the newly undesirable company.

To date over 140 organisations have been deemed “undesirable organisations” by the Russian government, including Novaya Gazeta Europe, human rights organisation Memorial, and the Free Russia Foundation.