MOSCOW, June 21 (RAPSI) - The State Duma on Friday voted in favor of amendments to the "piracy bill" introducing pretrial blocking of pirated video content.

The bill was submitted to the State Duma on June 6 and adopted in its first reading on June 18. It sets out the legal grounds and the procedure for limiting access to websites that distribute movies and TV films in violation of copyright. The bill also sets out the rules for bringing to account or condoning information brokers (Internet and hosting providers). 

The MPs decided by the second reading that the bill should not include music publication regulations.

The law will come into force on August 1. 

Issues of injunction and punishment are to be the exclusive competence of the Moscow City Court, which will accept complaints round the clock, including online, said Pavel Krasheninnikov, Head of the State Duma Committee on Civil, Criminal, Commercial and Procedural Legislation.

The court will also set the length of the injunction period (up to 15 says) during which a plaintiff can file a lawsuit. In case of failure to do so, or if the lawsuit is rejected, the organization or individual whose legal interests have been harmed by the blocking of content will be able to claim damages.