Russia's federal censor targets a dangerous prognosticator

Roskomnadzor’s failure to block the instant messenger Telegram apparently hasn’t stopped it from doing other important censorship work around the country. Earlier this month, for instance, the agency reportedly sued a man for publishing a prediction two days ahead of the March 18 presidential election saying that Vladimir Putin would win the race.

A court apparently agreed that the prediction violated Russia’s embargo on publishing polling data within five days of Election Day and issued a small fine. The suspect in this case is an astrologist living in Kaliningrad, and he says the charges were brought against him in Vladivostok — at the other end of the country.

The news website Mediazona, which covers Russia’s justice system, was unable to confirm the details of this story with Roskomnadzor’s office in Vladivostok, and the court hasn’t yet published the May 7 ruling. So far, these reports are based on what Alexander Rempel, the astrologist in question, has told journalists. Rempel told Primamedia.ru that he plans to write Roskomnadzor’s horoscope next.