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Russian State Duma committee backs bill introducing fines for ‘discrediting traditional values’
A Russian State Duma committee has recommended that a bill imposing fines for distributing material deemed to “discredit traditional values” pass its first reading. The proposal matters because it would add administrative penalties to existing restrictions on such content, with enforcement split between the Culture Ministry and media regulator Roskomnadzor.
Fines would range from 5,000 roubles for individuals to 700,000 roubles for organisations, with higher penalties for repeat violations. Separate fines would apply for failing to remove material after a Roskomnadzor order; service owners could avoid liability if they remove a work within 24 hours of its distribution certificate being revoked. Co-author Sergei Boyarsky said “individuals” refers to social network owners, not users, and no first-reading date has been set.
In short
- A committee backed the bill for its first reading.
- Fines would apply to distributing or not removing covered material.
- The bill’s first-reading date has not been set.