Spotify has suspended its services in Russia after Moscow passed a new law earlier this month to crack down on free press and speech.
Spotify said that it had no choice but to leave the Russian market, citing the law that essentially outlaws independent journalism.
“Spotify has continued to believe that it’s critically important to try and keep our service operational in Russia to provide trusted, independent news and information in the region,” a spokesperson told TechCrunch.
“Unfortunately, recently enacted legislation further restricting access to information, eliminating free expression and criminalizing certain types of news puts the safety of Spotify’s employees and possibly even our listeners at risk.”
