No more phone sharing, VPN ads, or ‘foreign agent’ teachers An inexhaustive list of the bans going into effect in Russia on September 1
More than three and a half years into the full-scale war in Ukraine, the Russian authorities continue to churn out repressive legislation. Many of the bans in their latest batch have been rolled out under the banner of combating phone and Internet fraud — a genuinely serious problem in recent years. But in most cases, that explanation appears to have been primarily a pretext for tightening the screws on society. A slew of new measures takes effect on September 1. Meduza has compiled some of the most notable laws coming into force in Russia today.
Ban on searching for ‘extremist’ materials
“Knowingly searching for and accessing extremist materials” will now be considered a misdemeanor offense in Russia. How the law will be enforced remains unclear. Fines for first-time offenders will range from 3,000 to 5,000 rubles ($37–$62).
Ban on sharing SIM cards
The new version of Russia’s federal law “On Communications” explicitly prohibits giving one’s phone or SIM card to “other persons,” with an exception only for close relatives. Violations can be prosecuted either as misdemeanor or felony offenses, depending on the circumstances. Offenders acting alone will face fines of 30,000 to 50,000 rubles ($370–$620), “organizers” of such offenses could face up to three years in prison, and “participants” could face up to two years.
Ban on ‘foreign agents’ working in education
All individuals and organizations labeled as “foreign agents” by the Russian authorities will now be prohibited from engaging in any educational or outreach activities. The ban previously applied only to work with minors. The decision has already prompted bookstores to sell of remaining copies of “foreign agent” literature, and the Russian crowdfunding platform Boosty has barred “foreign agents” from publishing new posts.
New phones must have Max and RuStore preinstalled
New phones sold in Russia will now be required to come with Max, the country’s “national messenger app” created by social media company VKontakte, and RuStore, Russia’s domestic app marketplace.
Using VPNs will become an aggravating factor in crimes
New amendments to the Russian Criminal Code have added “use of a VPN” as a new aggravating circumstance in crimes. While using a VPN by itself will not be considered a crime, it can be applied as an aggravating factor to any offense.
Advertising VPNs that bypass the Kremlin’s blocks will be banned
The new version of Russia’s law “On advertising” prohibits promoting VPNs that allow users to bypass the blocks imposed by Russia’s federal censor, Roskomnadzor. Violating the ban is a misdemeanor offense, with fines up to 80,000 rubles ($990) for individuals and up to 500,000 rubles ($6,200) for organizations.
VPN providers who ignore the Russian authorities’ requirements can also face fines of up to one million rubles ($12,400).
Ban on advertising on the sites of ‘undesirable’ or ‘extremist’ organizations
Another amendment to the “Advertising” law prohibits placing ads on website belonging to:
- an “undesirable” organization;
- an “extremist” organization (such as Instagram owner Meta);
- a “terrorist” organization;
- any other resources blocked by the Russian authorities.
It’s still unclear how violations will be punished. Posting ads on sites linked to “undesirable,” “extremist,” or “terrorist” organizations could be treated as financing them, which is a felony offense.
Pro-war propaganda comes to kindergartens
Russia’s Education Ministry will bring its “patriotic” pro-war lesson series, Important Conversations, to kindergartens in Moscow and nearly 18 other regions, as well as rolling out similar lessons in the annexed parts of Ukraine’s Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Luhansk regions.
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