The Global Network Initiative (GNI) and the Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT) have co-led a broad coalition of civil society organizations, corporations, and individual cybersecurity experts, including members of the Global Encryption Coalition, in issuing a joint statement condemning Russia’s escalating attacks on encryption.
Russian authorities are increasingly restricting access to encrypted communication platforms, like Signal and WhatsApp, while simultaneously pushing people towards unencrypted, state-controlled messaging services. These measures violate internationally recognized rights to privacy, free expression, and access to information, and place millions of people at risk.
The joint statement underscores that encryption and VPNs are essential to secure communication and free expression. By forcing citizens onto surveillance-prone platforms, Russia is advancing a model of “digital sovereignty” that threatens to normalize digital authoritarianism worldwide. The international community must respond: private, secure, and open communication is a fundamental right, not a privilege.
About CDT
The Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT) is the leading nonpartisan, nonprofit organization fighting to advance civil rights and civil liberties in the digital age. CDT helps shape technology policy, governance, and design with a focus on equity and democratic values. Established in 1994, CDT has been a trusted advocate for digital rights since the earliest days of the internet.
About GNI
The Global Network Initiative (GNI) is a multistakeholder organization of leading technology companies, civil society groups, academics, and investors working to protect and advance freedom of expression and privacy rights in the global technology sector. GNI promotes rights-based expectations for responsible business conduct, facilitates cross-sector learning, and advocates for regulatory frameworks grounded in international human rights law.