Namecheap is offering free anonymous domain registration and web hosting to all protest and anti-war websites in Russia or Belarus.
The domain registrar firm tweeted the free services will be available effective immediately in response to a call for nationwide war protests in Russia by Russian lawyer Alexei Navalny.
The news follows an earlier decision by Namecheap to terminate its Russian customers’ domain and web hosting services following the invasion of Ukraine - with the company’s initial deadline of March 6 extended by three further weeks.
Free hosting for protest sites
Namecheap said its decision to offer free domain and web hosting services is to help make it easier to share information online and take action against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The company has previously also made exceptions for unique circumstances such as free press, information sources and essential health services.
A spokesperson from Namcheap told TechRadar Pro that the company has a substantial number of team members and colleagues in Ukraine who are currently being bombed and attacked by Russia.
“In good conscience, we couldn’t standby and directly or indirectly support the Russian regime by doing business there any longer,” he added.
Russian and Belarusian customers who are standing up to their regime will have access to Nameheap’s customer service for more information.
“We all must do what we can to stop the war crimes that are being committed every day against the innocent people of Ukraine,” said Richard Kirkendall, Namecheap CEO.
“Our hope is that by offering these services in an anonymous way, with no strings attached, that people within Russia that are currently under threat to not speak up against this war are able to organize and do so in a way that may minimize reprisals.”
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