MOSCOW, May 5 (RAPSI) – Russia’s communications regulator Roskomnadzor has blocked popular Chinese messenger WeChat and its website, the RosKomSvoboda NGO announced on its website on Friday.

The service was blacklisted because of denial to recognize itself as organizer of information distribution and provide Russian authorities with information on its users, the statement reads.

Earlier, such messaging services as BlackBerry Messenger, Imo and Line, Vchat audiovisual chat and Zello push-to-talk application have been blacklisted for the same reason. The services reportedly failed to follow regulations for organizers of information dissemination and give the data on users to Russia’s law enforcement authorities.

According to the Federal Law “On Information, Information Technologies and the Protection of Information”, organizers of information distribution on the Internet must submit information about users and their messages to the authorized governmental bodies conducting investigative activities and ensuring the state security.