MOSCOW, September 24 (RAPSI) – Representatives of Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp have challenged court rulings imposing fines totaling 36 million rubles (about $500,000) on the companies for breaching Russian legislation as to the localization of the users’ personal data in Russia, the press service of Moscow’s Tagansky District Court has told RAPSI.

In late August, the court fined WhatsApp 4 million rubles; Facebook was fined 15 million rubles and Twitter was fined 17 million rubles.

The messenger was found guilty of the first violation of law requirements, while the social networks were penalized for the repeated violation.

In April, Russia’s communications watchdog Roskomnadzor urged several foreign companies to submit documents confirming that they keep and process Russians’ personal data within the country.

The operator must ensure recording, systematization, keeping, updating, changing and recovery of data of Russian users with the use of databases locating within the country, according to the agency. These rules provide the sufficient level of data security, according to Roskomnadzor.