ST. PETERSBURG, June 27 (RAPSI) - The Federation Council of Russia's parliament on Wednesday approved a bill that provides for the blocking of websites which distribute movies and TV films in violation of copyright.

The bill was submitted to the State Duma on June 6. 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 final wording of the law does not include music.

The authors of the bill emphasize that their goal is not to fight those who download pirated films, but those who distribute such content.

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.

The court will also set the length of the injunction period (up to 15 days) 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.

The right holder will be able to use the court decision to request that Russian federal communications agency Roskomnadzor limit access to the website that distributes content in violation of copyright. 

The agency then has three days to determine the hosting provider of the website and to order it to delete the pirated content. If the owner of the resource openly refuses to do so or does nothing to fulfill the regulator's order for three days, the regulator will limit access to the website.

Before filing a request for blocking access to such websites, the right holders must provide evidence of their ownership of the materials that are being distributed in violation of copyright. 

If the president signs the bill into law, it will become effective on August 1.