MOSCOW, November 25 (RAPSI) – This year, illegal content was removed from 188,000 websites publishing extremist materials, according to Russia’s communications watchdog Roskomnadzor.

Illegal content was also removed from over 24,000 websites providing access to child pornography, 18,000 of those promoting drugs, and 21,000 of pages on topics related to suicide.

The watchdog backs a bill on the introduction of administrative fines for failures to ensure secure and stable functioning of the internet over the territory of the Russian Federation in case its national section known as Runet is isolated from the global network. For these purposes, the law envisages that providers are to submit technical information to Roskomnadzor, so the agency could promptly take necessary measures in case of communications emergencies, the statement reads.

The bill has been initiated by Chair of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy Alexander Khinshtein and his first deputy Sergey Boyarsky.

The lawmakers believe the bill will close some legislative gaps available currently for the subjects of the regulations introduced in certain laws on communications, and protection of information, and informational technologies.

A law passed to ensure stable and secure functioning of the Russian segment of the internet in case it is isolated from the global web entered in force in November 2019.