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An image from the “Kill the American English Centre” contest / Image from www.cartoon.ru
Russia’s Biggest Spammer Brutally Murdered in Apartment
Created: 25.07.2005 13:14 MSK (GMT +3), Updated: 16:14 MSK
MosNews
Vardan Kushnir, notorious for sending spam to each and every citizen of Russia who appeared to have an e-mail, was found dead in his Moscow apartment on Sunday, Interfax reported Monday. He died after suffering repeated blows to the head.
Kushnir, 35, headed the English learning centers the Center for American English, the New York English Centre and the Centre for Spoken English, all known to have aggressive Internet advertising policies in which millions of e-mails were sent every day.
In the past angry Internet users have targeted the American English centre by publishing the Center’s telephone numbers anywhere on the Web to provoke telephone calls. The Center’s telephone was advertised as a contact number for cheap sex services, or bargain real estate sales.
Another attack involved hundreds of people making phone calls to the American English Center and sending it numerous e-mails back, but Vardan Kushnir remained sure of his right to spam, saying it was what e-mails were for.
Under Russian law, spamming is not considered illegal, although lawmakers are working on legal projects that could protect Russian Internet users like they do in Europe and the U.S.
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COMMENTARY
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On the fifth anniversary of the state takeover of Russia’s only privately owned TV channel with nationwide broadcasting, some 1,500 protesters and several prominent former NTV journalists rallied in downtown Moscow against media censorship. They demanded greater media freedom and a television free of Kremlin control.
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