New Russian Law Criminalizes Online Searches for Pussy Riot Content

Photo credit: Denis Sinyakov / Courtesy Pussy Riot
Still from “Putin Has Pissed Himself” – now illegal to search in Russia

Written from press release

NEW YORK, NY — July 23, 2025

A newly passed Russian law has escalated the country’s campaign against dissenting voices, making it a criminal offense to search for or access online content linked to the feminist protest art collective Pussy Riot.

On July 17, the Russian State Duma approved Article 13.53, which expands the scope of Russia’s notorious “Federal List of Extremist Materials.” The law, which takes effect September 1, 2025, imposes fines of up to 5,000 rubles (approximately $55 USD) on individuals who knowingly access banned materials—even if they do not share, download, or repost them.

Among the banned works are several Pussy Riot performances and videos, including “Free the Cobblestones,” “Kropotkin Vodka,” “Death to Prison, Freedom to Protest,” and the infamous “Putin Has Pissed Himself.” These works were officially added to Russia’s extremist materials list as early as 2012 and have remained under court-enforced censorship since.

The new law even criminalizes the use of advertising and circumvention tools, such as VPNs, that help users bypass restrictions and access banned content. According to critics, the measure signals a tightening stranglehold on digital freedom in Russia, equating peaceful protest and artistic expression with extremist activity.

In response to increasing state censorship and surveillance, Tolokonnikova recently launched the Artist Action Foundation, in partnership with the Artist Freedom Initiative, to support artists facing repression worldwide. The foundation aims to safeguard freedom of expression by protecting and promoting dissident art, especially from marginalized communities and authoritarian regimes.

The Artist Freedom Initiative provides pro bono legal aid and immigration support to persecuted artists seeking asylum or resettlement, operating at the intersection of art and human rights law.

International human rights groups and press freedom advocates have condemned the legislation as a blatant violation of free speech. A report from France 24 noted that even clicking on a banned Pussy Riot video could now lead to prosecution.

For more information on Pussy Riot, the banned performances, and the work of Tolokonnikova’s Artist Action Foundation, visit pussyriot.love or artactionfoundation.org.

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Related Links:

• Kyiv Post: Russia criminalizes clicking on “extremist content”
• France24: Russian Deputies Back Fines for Viewing Banned Material

The post New Russian Law Criminalizes Online Searches for Pussy Riot Content first appeared on The Bloomingtonian.