Kadyrov reinstates YouTube access for residents of Chechnya

The head of the Republic of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, considers it necessary to unlock access to the video hosting service YouTube, closed last year because of the controversial film "Innocence of Muslims", which, according to him, ridiculed the prophet Mohammed."I think it would be proper if the court makes a decision to unblock the access to video hosting sites, because the task is done. It makes no sense to limit the republic's residents' free access to watch and share videos," Kadyrov said, according to RIA News.According to Kadyrov, "at the time, it was a necessary measure, as the authors of the film infringed the dignity of Muslims and we had to stop the film from spreading.""I was the initiator of this decision, and we demonstrated to everyone who was behind the creation of a vicious pattern that it is impermissible to play on the feelings of believers," Kadyrov said.As previously reported by Vestnik Kavkaza, the Russian Prosecutor General's Office recognized the film "Innocence of Muslims" as extremist and demanded a court to prohibit its distribution in Russia. At the request of the prosecutor's office of Chechnya and the decision of the Leninsky district court of Grozny, who also recognized the film as extremist, Internet service providers in the region had to block access to the video hosting sites that distributed the video. Internet users in Chechnya have had no access to YouTube for almost eight months.