Petition Apple to restore censorship-free VPN apps in the Russian App Store

Apple removed VPN apps including Red Shield VPN, Le VPN, HideMyName, PlanetVPN, AdGuard VPN and ProtonVPN from the Russian App Store on July 4, 2024, after a request from Roskomnadzor, Russia's censorship agency, according to Apple's explanation. A petition urges Apple to restore the blocked VPN services and stop assisting censorship in Russia, and asks members of the U.S. Congress to pay attention. The petition states that VPNs are the only way for people in Russia to access independent information, and that Apple paid a fine of approximately $13.4 million to the Russian budget in January 2024 while continuing to collect payments in the Russian App Store.