Ahead of summer recess, Russia's State Duma races ahead with a mountain of far-reaching legislation
Vladimir Fedorenko / Sputnik / Scanpix / LETA
Ahead of its summer recess, the State Duma passed final drafts (third readings) of 69 very different pieces of legislation. Many of the laws adopted in this hurried flurry of activity will likely have a profound impact on the lives of millions of ordinary Russians. Meduza summarizes the most important legislative moves by Russia's federal lawmakers in the past three days.
Canceled free checked baggage on flights with nonrefundable tickets
Banned anonymous communication over online instant messengers
Outlawed Internet anonymization software, like VPN and the Tor browser
Transferred control over elections at the Russian Academy of Science to the Kremlin
Restricted minority shareholders' access to company documents
Levied a new tax on resorts in Crimea and other regions
Required cellular operators to deny service to customers who buy SIM cards with false identification
Doubled the maximum prison penalties for individuals who create “death groups” designed to pressure people into killing themselves
Permitted doctors to conduct consultations remotely
Prohibited the online sale of alcohol and the sale of tinctures in vending machines
Created a foundation to help victims of fraud
Allowed courts to strip convicted terrorists of Russian citizenship, and introduced an oath required to receive a Russian passport