Key Facts
• On July 22, 2025, Russia’s lower house passed a bill penalizing searches of ‘extremist’ sites.
• The bill will take effect after approval by the upper house and President Vladimir Putin’s signature.
• Individuals face fines of 3,000–5,000 rubles (~$9–$15) for viewing restricted content.
• VPN providers allowing access to banned materials may be fined up to 500,000 rubles (~$9,300).
• The Russian Ministry of Justice lists approximately 5,500 ‘extremist materials’ as restricted.
• Concerns arise over potential misuse, targeting opposition figures like Alexei Navalny and LGBTQ+ content.
• Many restricted sites are already blocked, but VPN use to bypass restrictions is also criminalized.
Summary
Russia’s lower house approved a bill on July 22, 2025, imposing fines for searching or viewing websites deemed ‘extremist’ by the Ministry of Justice. The legislation, which awaits upper house approval and President Putin’s signature, could penalize individuals with fines of 3,000–5,000 rubles (~$9–$15) and VPN providers up to 500,000 rubles (~$9,300) for enabling access to restricted content. The Ministry’s list includes approximately 5,500 materials, raising concerns about misuse to suppress opposition figures like Alexei Navalny and LGBTQ+ content. While many sites are already blocked, the law criminalizes VPN use to bypass restrictions, intensifying fears of overreach.
