The Committee to Protect Journalists joined #KeepItOn Coalition partners on Thursday in calling on Russian authorities and telecommunications providers to maintain free, open, and secure internet access before, during, and after presidential elections scheduled for March 15 to 17.

The letter highlights Russia’s history of internet shutdowns, including the blocking of tech companies that refused to comply with censorship orders and throttling internet access during moments of civil unrest.

Read the full letter here.

This content originally appeared on Committee to Protect Journalists and was authored by Committee to Protect Journalists.

This post was originally published on Radio Free.