Domain name registrar Namecheap has announced it will provide anonymous domain registration and web hosting to all protest and anti-regime websites in Russia or Belarus.
“Effective immediately, we will begin offering free anonymous hosting and domain name registration to any anti-Putin anti-regime and protest websites for anyone located within Russia and Belarus. Please contact our support for details,” the company wrote in a message on Twitter.
Earlier this week, the registrar began informing customers registered in Russia that it will no longer provide them with services because of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
“Unfortunately, due to the Russian regime's war crimes and human rights violations in Ukraine, we will no longer be providing services to users registered in Russia. While we sympathize that this war may not affect your own views or opinion on the matter, the fact is, your authoritarian government is committing human rights abuses and engaging in war crimes so this is a policy decision we have made and will stand by,” the company wrote in the email to customers.
Initially, Namecheap asked Russian users to move their top-level domains to other providers until March 6, but later extended deadline until March 22.
“For those who will still be affected by our decision to terminate Namecheap services to Russia, we are extending the termination date to three weeks from today. Please make sure you have moved your services to another provider by March 22, 2022,” Namecheap said.
“we will make exceptions for all anti-regime media, protest resources, and any type of websites that are helping to end this war and regime — we will continue to welcome you using our services. Please accept our apologies for any disruption this caused, and we thank you for helping to fight against this tyranny,” the company added. “The above also applies if you are no longer a resident of Russia and do not support the regime in any way.”