Russian officials are using the cover of software enforcement to raid and seize the computers of groups that are in opposition to the current regime.

From the Washington Post:

In multiple police raids against such groups, authorities are ostensibly targeting the alleged use of counterfeit software. Western governments and companies have long urged action against the widespread piracy in Russia.

“Our law enforcement finally realized that computers are very important tools for their opponents, and they have decided to take away these tools by doing something close to the West’s agenda,” said Vladimir Pribylovsky, head of the Panorama research institute in Moscow. “I suppose you could say it’s very clever.”

In the past 10 months, police in at least five Russian cities have raided the offices of media outlets, political parties and private advocacy groups and seized computers allegedly containing illegal software, paralyzing the work of the organizations. Often, authorities demand that employees submit to questioning and order them not to leave town until legal action is completed.

In September, the International Herald Tribune first highlighted the issue and was noted by Havocscope.