The second change expands the restrictions previously adopted for Crimea to the self -proclaimed Lugansk and Donetsk republics. The restrictions apply to GitHub Enterprise sales and paid services. Also, for users from countries included in the sanctions list, it is allowed to restrict the access of paid accounts to their public repositories and private services (repositories can be transferred to the regime only for reading).
Separately, it is noted that for ordinary users with free accounts, including users from Crimea, DPR and LPR, there is a provision of unlimited access to public repositories of open projects, GIST-stamps and free Action-processors. But this possibility is provided only for personal use, and not for commercial purposes.
GITHUB, like any other company registered in the United States, as well as companies from other countries whose activities are directly or indirectly related to the United States (including companies conducting payments through US banks or systems such as Visa) Follow the requirements to restrict exports in relation to territories falling under sanctions. For doing business in regions such as Crimea, DPR, LPR, Iran, Cuba, Syria, Sudan and North Korea, a special resolution is required. For Iran, GITHUB had previously managed to get a service license for the functioning of the service in the Office of Foreign Assets (OFAC), which allowed Iranian users to access paid services.
The US legislation, which regulates export, prohibits the provision of commercial services or services that can be used for commercial purposes to residents of the countries. At the same time, GITHUB applies as far as possible the soft legal interpretation of the law (export restrictions do not apply to publicly affordable open software), which allows not to limit users from sanctions countries to public repositories and does not prohibit personal communications.