18:22, 29 January 2026

The first case under the article on the search for "extremist materials" has been opened in Chechnya.

The Naursky District Court of Chechnya has registered an administrative case against local resident Isa Magamadov for searching for "extremist materials." This is the second known case in Russia.

The law on fines for searching for extremist materials was adopted by the State Duma on July 22, 2025, and signed by Putin on July 31, 2025. The law amends the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation (CAO), introducing administrative liability for intentional internet searches for materials included in the federal list of extremist materials. The bill also introduced fines for advertising VPN services and recognized VPN use as an aggravating circumstance in the commission of a crime, RIA Novosti reports.

The case under Article 13.53 of the Code of Administrative Offenses against Chechen resident Isa Magomadov was filed in court yesterday, January 28; a hearing date has not yet been set. The reason for the protocol is unknown.

Magamadov, 29, lives in the village of Alpatovo in Chechnya. At least as recently as 2022, he worked for the private security company "Alpha Legion," whose founders, according to the organization's website, are members of the Association of Veterans of the Alpha Special Forces Unit, reports the publication "Verstka"*.

This is the second known case of prosecution under the article on searching for "extremist" content. The first ruling under this article was issued by the Magistrate's Court in Kamensk-Uralsky, Sverdlovsk Region, on December 10, 2025. Then, nurse Sergei Glukhikh was fined 3,000 rubles for viewing an image of the Azov Battalion chevron**, RBC reported.

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* is listed as a foreign agent.

** the organization is designated as a terrorist organization, and its activities are banned in Russia.

*** Meta (which owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp) is banned in Russia.

Translated automatically via Google translate from https://www.kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/420346