ALRUD advised one of the biggest global online retail platforms, for the sale of health supplements and food additives, in the matter of blockage of the Client’s mobile app and website

Our Client faced blockage of its app, due to the distribution of unregistered dietary supplements. ALRUD was engaged for the matter following the coming into force of the court judgment, on the blocking of the mobile app.

The matter was complicated by the fact that the Roskomnadzor continuously blocked not only the mobile app, indicated in the court judgment, but also the official website of the Client, even though no prohibited information was located on it. Moreover, the competitors of our Client, in Russia, put pressure on the State authorities, in order to block our Client and remove it from the market in Russia. Thus, the business of our Client in Russia was put under a great threat.

Given the circumstances, ALRUD’s team developed a comprehensive strategy, tailored to our Client’s needs, aimed at a quick lifting of restrictions, by utilizing a range of instruments: swift compliance with the court judgment by deletion of the prohibited information, appeals to the Government of Russia, different Ministries and high-ranking officials, the Main Prosecutor’s Office of Russia, advocate requests, extensive communication with the Roskomnadzor, as well as the regional Prosecutor’s Office, a number of Ministries of the Government of Russian Federation, etc.

Pursuant to ALRUD’s strategy, and as a result of various appeals and applications, Roskomnadzor has fully terminated the illegal blocking the Client’s website. Currently, Roskomnadzor, being under the continuous pressure from the State authorities, is considering our Client’s applications on the lifting the restrictions from the mobile app.

The ALRUD team, which worked on the project under the leadership of Maria Ostashenko, Partner and head of Data Protection and Cybersecurity Practice and Magomed Gasanov, Partner of Dispute Resolution Practice, included Dmitry Eberents and Ilya Khodakov, Associates.