RUSSIAN INTERNET PIONEER AND 'FATHER OF RUSSIAN INTERNET' JAILED ON ABSURD CHARGES; CRITICS DECRY GOVT ABUSE OF POWER
Alexey Soldatov, a groundbreaking figure in the history of the Russian Internet, has been sentenced to serve a two-year term in a labor colony amidst accusations of "abuse of power." Soldatov, 72 and suffering from a terminal illness, is feared by his family to face what effectively amounts to a death sentence, even though the alleged crimes occurred during a time when he wasn't holding official position at the implicated organization.
It's crucial to revisit who Soldatov is to shed light on the loss we are facing – this is a man who helped channel the age of information into a space dominated by iron-fisted governance; a nuclear physicist who used his gifted mind not to design weapons of destruction but pathways of connection.
Soldatov was instrumental in establishing the very first Soviet connection to the global Internet in 1990 through a network he created called Relcom. This network, initially designed to connect Soviet research centers, played a crucial role during the KGB-orchestrated putsch in 1991 by disseminating news when traditional media was blocked. As such, Soldatov's work proved the Internet isn't just a tool for interconnected communication, but also for liberation in times of oppression.
His influence extended beyond the establishment of the Relcom; Alexey Soldatov continued to shape the fabric of the Russian internet. Although Relcom became one of many Internet service providers in the 1990s, Soldatov's intellect and broad understanding of Internet governance earned him respect. He remained a key figure in creating the organizations that underpin the Russian Internet.
Between 2008 and 2010, Soldatov served under President Medvedev as the deputy minister of communications in charge of the Internet. He left the government due to divergent views on the development of a national computer operating system and a national search engine. His departure marked a turning point, not just in his career, but in the trajectory of the digital freedoms in Russia.
The criminal investigation against Soldatov was initiated in 2019, and he is now behind bars. It's worth noting that his accuser, Andrei Lipov, is in charge of Roskomnadzor, the Russian Internet censorship agency, complicating the debate over Soldatov's guilt or innocence.
Many observers see the mistreatment of Soldatov as emblematic of Russia's increasingly repressive stance towards those promoting modernization and globalization. As this country grapples with the tension between control and connection, innovators and pioneers face the threat of state violence.
What happens to Soldatov in the immediate future has repercussions not just for him, but for the state of Internet freedom in Russia. If one of the nation's leading advocates for a connected and open online world faces such treatment, the implications will undoubtedly impact the curbing of digital freedoms and innovation in Russia, creating a chilling effect on the future of the country's internet landscape. We must remain vigilant and continue advocating for pioneers like Soldatov who have dared to imagine a connected and informed world. To obliterate their achievements is to blot out the pages of progress from our shared history.