Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law punishing online searches for 'extremist' content, raising concerns even among Kremlin supporters.

The new law, which aims to criminalize online searches for 'extremist' content, has sparked a rare backlash of opposition from some 60 lawmakers and critics, including from pro-Kremlin circles. Among groups already classified as 'extremist' are Aleksei Navalny's organization and the international LGBT movement. Opposition activist Boris Nadezhdin compared the law to the repression depicted in George Orwell's novel '1984', highlighting the negative impact on freedom of expression in Russia.