Russia’s Municipal Court in St. Petersburg town has invalidated a trial court’s final decision which was seeking to prohibit 40 Bitcoin-related websites from the Russian Federation.
The Oktyabrsky District Court in St. Petersburg granted the application of the Prosecutor’s Office and ruled to block 40 Bitcoin-related websites In July 2017.
Earlier in March 2017, St. Petersburg prosecutors had filed a lawsuit earlier in March 2017 to ban sites like www.24paybank.com and www.Bestchange.ru because they were alleged to be “spreading information” about digital currency that “is not backed by any real asset and without any information about its owners.”
The judges argued that the cryptocurrency doesn’t have a substance which guarantees its limited power of purchasing. They were anxious about “the emission, and the circulation of bitcoins is completely decentralized,” and there was no state regulation.
The court issued a stern warning that cryptocurrencies, such as bitcoin, led to the growth of the shadow economy, that it could not be used by the citizens and legal entities in the Russian Federation.
Cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, are a money substitute contributing to the growth of the informal economy, and cannot be used by citizens and legal entities in the Russian Federation. The free flow of information about digital currencies implies the active use of cryptocurrencies in trafficking illicit drugs, illegal weapons, forged documents, and other criminal activities.”
St. Petersburg’s Municipal Court docket reviewed the enchantment that was filed by a Moscow-based Virtual Rights Heart and annulled and voided the verdict on Tuesday. A particular courtroom frame will convene to believe the case in line with a press carrier consultant.
On the same day, February 27, Bill Gates caused a commotion on Reddit by claiming that cryptocurrencies are used to shop for prohibited medicine and feature “brought about deaths in a slightly direct method.”
Earlier the same week, Cointelegraph reported that the creator of cryptocurrency PRISM, Yury Mayorov, was abducted in Moscow and mugged of 300 bitcoins, approximately $3 mln at press time, in addition to $20,000 and three iPhones.
The case will now be returned to the Oktyabrsky District Court where according to Russian law, it will have to be reviewed yet again by a new judicial panel.