Overview

• On July 17, the State Duma adopted amendments allowing any group to be labeled extremist based on a single member’s past conviction without a separate court ruling.
• From September, individuals face administrative fines of up to 5,000 rubles for deliberately searching for or accessing materials listed in the Justice Ministry’s extremist registry.
• The registry contains about 5,500 entries, covering content from political posts and books to music and materials by groups ranging from LGBT activists to al-Qaeda.
• Activists and rights groups warn that vague definitions and the lack of judicial oversight create wide scope for arbitrary enforcement, surveillance and potential criminal escalation.
• Proponents say the measures target online service providers, but critics fear widespread penalties will stifle dissent and chill freedom of expression.