Access to Viber messenger banned in Russia

Russia’s media watchdog Roskomnadzor has restricted the access to the Viber messenger in the country for violating national law, the watchdog’s press service reported.

"Access to the Viber service has been restricted due to its failure to comply with legal requirements for information dissemination platforms," the statement reads.

It was noted that these measures are necessary to prevent the threat of the messenger being used for terrorist and extremist activities, recruiting citizens to commit them, selling drugs, as well as in connection with the publication of illegal information

In 2023, Viber was fined for the first time in Russia. A Moscow court imposed an administrative fine of one million rubles ($9,668) on the messenger.