Russia’s largest social network shuts down atheist community for ‘extremism’

VKontakte, Russia’s most popular online social network, has shut down an atheist community called There Is No God. When trying to access the group’s page, Internet users now find a notice explaining that it was closed following a Chechen court’s decision that the community is extremist.

On May 13, a court in Grozny granted a request by the Attorney General’s Office, which asked to have the community blocked. Without citing any specific examples, state prosecutors argued that the atheist group contained materials “aiming to offend the religious feelings of Russian Orthodox Christians” that could be used to incite religious hatred.

Before it was shut down, There Is No God had 26,000 subscribers. The group commonly published demotivators (satirical memes) mocking Patriarch Kirill, various Orthodox activists, and other themes related to religion.