Russia’s Landmark Case Targets Online Searches for Extremist Content Under New Law

Authorities in Russia’s Sverdlovsk region have initiated the first recorded case under a new law aimed at penalizing online searches for extremist content, as reported by local media.

Sergei Glukhikh, a 20-year-old from Kamensk-Uralsky, is facing charges under Article 13.53 of Russia’s Administrative Code, which became effective on September 1. His attorney, Sergei Barsukov, shared this information with the Eurasia News Agency (EAN).

According to the local publication It’s My City, Glukhikh was reported to the Federal Security Service (FSB) by his internet service provider after he reportedly accessed prohibited materials online.

Barsukov mentioned that his client unintentionally encountered information regarding Ukraine’s Azov Brigade and the Russian Volunteer Corps while using the internet on public transport, and did not seek this information on purpose.

The Azov Brigade was established in 2014 as a paramilitary unit with far-right affiliations, engaged in combat against pro-Russian forces in eastern Ukraine, and has since been incorporated into Ukraine’s national guard. Moscow has leveraged Azov’s extremist connections from the past to rationalize what it refers to as the “denazification” of Ukraine.

Conversely, the Russian Volunteer Corps is a far-right paramilitary group comprised of Russian nationals fighting alongside Ukraine, formed in the wake of Moscow’s full-scale invasion in 2022.

Both groups are classified as «terrorist» organizations in Russia.

Glukhikh, who is studying at a branch of the Sverdlovsk Regional Medical College, had previously participated in patriotic school events, according to Barsukov.

The case reportedly hinges on two images and an interrogation transcript. The defense contends that FSB agents exerted pressure on Glukhikh during his questioning.

On Thursday, a local court sent the case back to the police for corrections due to procedural mistakes, after the summoned FSB and Interior Ministry officers did not show up to testify.

The law, signed by President Vladimir Putin in July, imposes fines for searching or accessing extremist content online, including through VPN services. Fines for individuals range from 3,000 to 5,000 rubles (approximately $30 to $55), while those promoting VPN services can face penalties of up to 500,000 rubles.

The legislation does not clarify how such activities will be monitored, raising concerns among legal experts about potential increases in surveillance and abuses by law enforcement.

Amnesty International has criticized the bill for being “vague and overly broad,” cautioning that it may lead to arbitrary enforcement.