The Russian State Duma has passed a law making it illegal to search for four videos by the protest and performance art group Pussy Riot.
The four videos, Free the Cobblestones, Kropotkin Vodka, Death to Prison, Freedom to Protest and Putin Has Pissed Himself, were originally placed on the Federal List of Extremist Materials in 2012.
According to the new law, which comes into force on September 1, fans can be fined up to 5,000 rubles (£47/$63) if they intentionally search for the videos, even if they don't subsequently share them publicly. The fines will also apply to users who use VPNs to avoid detection.
In 2023, Pussy Riot founder Nadya Tolokonnikova launched Artist Action Foundation, an organisation dedicated to fighting artistic censorship by authoritarian and pro-authoritarian governments.
"Through my art, I’m trying to give a voice to, or at least acknowledge, the feelings of those people in Russia who feel unrepresented and silenced," Tokonnikova told Al Jazeera. "If they decide to stay in Russia, they cannot talk anymore, otherwise they’ll just end up in jail for dozens of years or be killed."
The Federal List of Extremist Materials includes more than 5000 items, including musical works, works of literature, brochures, films, photos, poetry, magazines, slogans and websites.
Pussy Riot first came to international attention when they performed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, Chase Putin Away during a guerrilla show at Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in 2012. Tokonnikova was later sentenced to two years in prison for her part in the performance. The same year, the group performed Putin Has Pissed Himself in the city's iconic Red Square.
