Latest news with #BorisNadezhdin
The Sun
7 hours ago
- Politics
- The Sun
Putin signs law fining searches for extremist content in Russia
MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law imposing fines on internet users who search for content labelled as 'extremist' by authorities. The legislation, criticised as a crackdown on free expression, penalises individuals up to 5,000 rubles ($64) for accessing banned materials. The law targets searches for web pages, books, music, or artwork deemed extremist. Over 5,000 entries are on the official blacklist, including pro-Ukraine songs, Pussy Riot's blog posts, and anti-Putin websites. The State Duma passed the bill earlier this month despite opposition from some parliamentary groups. Russian opposition figure Boris Nadezhdin compared the law to George Orwell's dystopian novel *1984*, calling it a punishment for 'thought crimes.' The legislation also bans VPN advertisements and fines SIM card transfers, methods Russians use to bypass state censorship. Since its 2022 Ukraine offensive, Russia has intensified online restrictions, blocking platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Many citizens still access banned sites via VPNs, defying government controls. – AFP
Al Arabiya
7 hours ago
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Putin signs law that fines Russians for searching ‘extremist' content online
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday put his signature to a law that fines internet users who search for web pages, books, artwork or music albums that authorities deem 'extremist.' The law, slammed by critics as another dangerous attack on freedom of thought and expression in Russia, introduces fines of up to 5,000 rubles ($64) on anyone found to have deliberately searched for, or gained access to, material listed as 'extremist materials.' More than 5,000 entries are on the official list, including songs praising Ukraine, blog posts by feminist rock band Pussy Riot and websites critical of Putin. Lawmakers in the lower house State Duma backed the bill earlier this month despite rare opposition from two parliamentary groups. Russian opposition politician Boris Nadezhdin, who organized a protest against the bill, said it was like 'something out of 1984' – a reference to George Orwell's novel about a totalitarian superstate. 'This law punishes thought crimes,' he told AFP earlier this month. The law also bans advertising for virtual private networks (VPNs) and imposes fines for transferring SIM cards to another person, both ways of browsing with more privacy. Many Russian users continue to access websites banned by the state via VPN services that allow them to get around state blocks. offensive in Ukraine in 2022. It has blocked access to dozens of Western sites, including Facebook and Instagram.
Time of India
23-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Russia to fine people for searching for 'extremist' content
Russia to fine people for searching for 'extremist' content (Image: AP) Russian lawmakers on Tuesday approved a bill to fine internet users for searching online content that authorities consider "extremist." Unusually, the legislation has drawn criticism from both opposition activists and some pro-government figures. The lower house of the Russian parliament, the State Duma, approved the bill with 306 votes in favor and 67 against. The bill will now be sent to Russia's upper house, where it is unlikely to face major opposition. Russia's Ministry of Justice's list of extremist materials spans more than 500 pages and contains over 5,000 entries. These include songs that praise Ukraine and blog posts by the feminist rock band Pussy Riot. The legislation would impose fines of up to 5,000 rubles (€54 or $64) on anyone who searched for or gained access to content material on the list. It is still unclear how the bill would work in practice. The question of whether internet service providers or websites would be responsible for monitoring users' searches remains unanswered. Protesters call it "something out of 1984" Several activists and a journalist from the Russian newspaper Kommersant were arrested for protesting against the bill outside the State Duma a few hours before the vote. Opposition politician and protest organizer Boris Nadezhdin compared the bill to "something out of 1984," referencing George Orwell's novel about a totalitarian regime. Meanwhile, Duma spokesperson said the bill was aimed at "those trying to destroy and ruin Russia" by using the internet.
Yahoo
23-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Russia seeks to fine web users searching for content deemed 'extremist'
Russian lawmakers advanced a bill on Tuesday that would fine internet users who search online for web pages, books, artworks or music albums that authorities have deemed "extremist" -- a move critics have called a dangerous attack on freedom. More than 5,000 entries are on the Russian justice ministry's list of "extremist materials", including songs praising Ukraine, blog posts by feminist rock band Pussy Riot and websites critical of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Deputies in the lower house State Duma backed the bill by 306 votes to 67 and the text will now be sent to Russia's upper house, where it is unlikely to face any major opposition. The legislation would impose fines of up to 5,000 rubles ($64) on anyone found to have deliberately searched for or gained access to material on the list. It was not clear how the bill would work in practice and whether internet service providers or websites would be responsible for monitoring violations. Russian authorities already block access to thousands of websites accused of hosting "extremist" content. If approved by Russia's upper house, the bill will be sent to President Vladimir Putin to be signed into law. - 'Something out of 1984' - The legislation has drawn rare criticism from across Russia's political spectrum. A few hours before the vote, several activists and a journalist from Russian newspaper Kommersant were arrested for protesting against the bill outside the State Duma. Russian opposition politician Boris Nadezhdin, who organised the protest, said the bill was like "something out of 1984" -- a reference to George Orwell's novel about a totalitarian superstate. "This law punishes thought crimes," he told AFP. The bill was originally about tightening regulation over shipping clerks but evolved as lawmakers covertly inserted amendments, later spotted by the media. Duma speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said the legislation was aimed at "those trying to destroy and ruin" Russia using the internet. But others, including the head of a state-sponsored internet safety watchdog, have warned that the legislation could have broader ramifications. The editor-in-chief of pro-Kremlin broadcaster Russia Today, Margarita Simonyan, said the legislation would make it impossible to investigate and expose extremist groups. The bill would also ban advertising for virtual private networks (VPNs) and impose fines for transferring SIM cards to another person, both ways of browsing with more privacy. bur/asy/djt
DW
22-07-2025
- Politics
- DW
Russia to fine people for searching for 'extremist' content – DW – 07/22/2025
The lower house of the Russian parliament approved legislation imposing fines on people searching online for content that the authorities deem "extremist." Protesters are calling the bill "something out of 1984." Russian lawmakers on Tuesday approved a bill to fine internet users for searching online content that authorities consider "extremist." Unusually, the legislation has drawn criticism from both opposition activists and some pro-government figures. The lower house of the Russian parliament, the State Duma, approved the bill with 306 votes in favor and 67 against. The bill will now be sent to Russia's upper house, where it is unlikely to face major opposition. Russia's Ministry of Justice's list of extremist materials spans more than 500 pages and contains over 5,000 entries. These include songs that praise Ukraine and blog posts by the feminist rock band Pussy Riot. The legislation would impose fines of up to 5,000 rubles (€54 or $64) on anyone who searched for or gained access to content material on the list. It is still unclear how the bill would work in practice. The question of whether internet service providers or websites would be responsible for monitoring users' searches remains unanswered. Several activists and a journalist from the Russian newspaper were arrested for protesting against the bill outside the State Duma a few hours before the vote. Opposition politician and protest organizer Boris Nadezhdin compared the bill to "something out of 1984," referencing George Orwell's novel about a totalitarian regime. Duma spokesperson said the bill was aimed at "those trying to destroy and ruin Russia" by using the internet. The editor-in-chief of Russia Today, a Russian propaganda media outlet, said the bill would make it impossible to investigate and expose extremist groups.
