Website of the Ministry of Justice temporarily unavailable
The Russian government is currently navigating advanced stages of a controversial new law, set to take effect on September 1, 2025. This legislation, initially focused on freight forwarder regulations, has expanded to cover internet usage and information policy, and is causing widespread concern among human rights organisations.
The proposed amendments, as outlined in Article 13.53 of the Russian Administrative Offences Code, criminalise the deliberate searching for and accessing of "knowingly extremist materials." This includes the use of hardware or software tools such as VPNs or proxies to bypass access restrictions.
If these amendments come into force, individuals found guilty of intentionally searching for extremist content could face fines ranging from 3,000 to 5,000 rubles (approximately $38 to $64). The Russian Ministry of Justice maintains a list of “extremist organizations,” which encompasses entities like the late Alexei Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation, the Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia, and the "international LGBT movement," among others.
Enforcement of these new laws could rely heavily on the analysis of users’ browser histories, search records, and internet traffic data. Internet service providers and Russian search engines and social media platforms are legally required to cooperate with authorities by storing and sharing users’ search and browsing information upon request.
The amendments also aim to penalise the advertising of VPN services, with fines ranging from 50,000 to 80,000 rubles for individuals and much higher amounts for officials and legal entities.
There are serious concerns from human rights organisations like Amnesty International that these amendments will drastically curtail freedoms, effectively cutting off access to wide swaths of information and violating constitutional rights to privacy, freedom of expression, and association. The definition of "extremist" content is broad and has historically been used to target political dissent and minority views, meaning the law could be used to suppress opposition arbitrarily.
Recent disruptions to the Ministry of Justice of Russia's website have been attributed by Katherine Mizulina, a Russian politician, to users searching for a list of extremist materials on the portal. The State Duma has already approved the amendments in the second reading.
In summary, if enacted as proposed, these amendments will create a legal framework in Russia to fine citizens for the mere act of searching for extremist content online and increase state surveillance and control over internet usage, with significant implications for civil liberties and privacy.
The Russian policy-and-legislation in question, centered around internet usage and information policy, is a topic of intense politics and general-news debate. The legislation, a cause of alarm for human rights organisations, seeks to criminalize the searching for extremist materials using VPNs or proxies, in a move that raises concerns about drastic curtailing of freedoms and violations of constitutional rights to privacy, freedom of expression, and association.
