President Vladimir Putin on Thursday signed into law a controversial bill that criminalizes accessing or searching for online content labeled “extremist.”
The legislation, criticized by both Kremlin loyalists and opposition figures, introduces fines of up to 5,000 rubles (about $64) for individuals who “knowingly” view or seek out banned materials.
It does not specify how such activity would be monitored, raising concerns among legal experts about expanded surveillance and potential abuse by law enforcement. The law takes effect on Sept. 1.
Yekaterina Mizulina, head of the Kremlin-aligned Safe Internet League and a prominent advocate of online censorship, voiced unease over the bill earlier this month. She warned that it could obstruct the League’s work, roughly 30% of which involves identifying extremist content and forwarding it to authorities.
Mizulina claimed that the legislation could even put police officers at legal risk for viewing content as part of their duties.
Amnesty International, a London-based NGO, had also decried the bill as “vague and overly broad,” warning that it enables arbitrary enforcement.
Also on Thursday, Putin signed another bill into law banning the advertisement of VPN services, which have become widespread in Russia over the past three years as authorities block an increasing number of websites, including those of Instagram and news outlets such as The Moscow Times.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
