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Russia’s State Duma bans photography during sessions

28 January 2026 16:40 (UTC +04:00)

Taking photos in Russia’s State Duma has been banned, said State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin, APA’s Moscow bureau reports.

According to him, the State Duma banned photography in order to protect photographers’ mental health.

“Someone yawns or touches something, and then you capture that moment. You build your entire day around those moments. And what will that lead to? Serious mental problems,” the Speaker of the State Duma stressed.

He noted that video recording is still being conducted in the session hall and that there are no plans to ban live broadcasts.

Volodin emphasized that the work of the chamber is the most important thing and that “television and photographers are secondary.”

The ban on photography at Duma sessions was introduced on January 21. A day earlier, Volodin criticized photographers for allegedly trying to “show MPs in a bad light.”