MOSCOW, July 25 (RAPSI) – The Federation Council of Russia has approved a bill prohibiting the use of technologies enabling access to blocked websites, also known as anonymizers, the upper house of the Russian parliament informs on Tuesday.

The bill has been presented to the senators by Lyudmila Bokova, Deputy Chair of the Council’s Committee on Constitutional Law and State Building.

Provisions of the bill envisage a ban on using information and telecommunication networks, as well as software, with the aim to obtain access to websites and content blocked in Russia. Providers, in order to be able to comply with the bans, are to be allowed to draw on the database of restricted sources run by Roskomnadzor, Russia’s communications watchdog.  

A failure to comply with Roskomnadzor requirements is to result in a 30-day interdict on visiting sites providing access to information resources used to circumvent the blocks. Operators of search services will be obliged to cease publishing of links to information resources blocked in Russia.