[At the St. Petersburg Economic Forum, President Putin discussed Internet freedom with global business leaders as the Russian parliament initially approved a draft anti-piracy law despite an outcry from Russian Internet companies and free speech activists, Kommersant reports. Meanwhile, the FSB investigated an online hoax involving Russian Railways chief Vladimir Yakunin the Federal Security Agency […]
The new Venezuelan President is on his first visit to Europe. The most important stop of that trip is Moscow, where on July 1-2 he will, among other things, might try to be part of the developments around Edward Snowden, a former NSA agent, who is now somewhere in the Russian capital. The Venezuelan leader […]
[Golos, Russia’s only independent election monitor, is the first NGO to succumb to the controversial new law forcing groups that receive foreign funds or engage in “political” activities to register as “foreign agents.” — Ed.] The Ministry of Justice has suspended activities of the “Golos” association for six months. The organization is surprised by this […]
Russian President Vladimir Putin has approved changes to the Russian Federation Criminal Code introducing punishment for offense of the religious beliefs and feelings of citizens. The maximum measure of punishment under the new law will be deprivation of freedom up to three years. A fine of up to 500,000 rubles as well as compulsory and […]
The maxim term of imprisonment for taking part in an extremist association has been increased from two to four years under a draft law that the Russian government has submitted to the State Duma. Furthermore, the fine for this violation of the law is increased from 40,000 to 100,000 rubles. The relevant amendments have been […]
All 12 suspects in the case of mass disturbances on Moscow’s Bolotnaya Square on 6 May 2012 have refused to plead guilty in court, a correspondent of the Russian Agency for Legal and Judicial Information (RASPI) reports. The session of the Zamoskovoretsky Court in the capital was open to the public at the Moscow City […]
The instruments that Yakemenko used to fight the opposition – drums and girls in bikini, a toilet bowl and sex to fight corruption – have been placed on a back burner. The pro-Kremlin youth swears allegiance to others. There are rumors that the Seliger thing is on its way out, and there is a rift […]
The Supreme Court (SC) and the Supreme Arbitrage Court (SAC) will be united, Vladimir Putin announced at the St. Petersburg Economic Forum, and in the near future the appropriate draft law will be submitted to the State Duma. Furthermore, the president supported the idea of economic amnesty, which would “strengthen the faith of citizens in […]
Former NSA employee Edward Snowden, who remains in the transit area at Sheremetyevo Airport, could remain there indefinitely, even as the US attempts to have him extradited for the disclosure of information about government surveillance of electronic communications. This matter is regulated in Russia under Art. 31 of the Law on Entry and Exit. According […]
[This article, written in two parts, analyzes the attempts by Russia’s ruling party to restrict internet privacy, and compares the operations of the Russian Federation to the US PRISM program unveiled by Edward Snowden.—Ed.] The harassment of non-profit organizations, the toughening of the law on public rallies, the teeth-gritting propaganda of the federal television channels, […]
