Russian deputies approved a law on Tuesday that provides harsh sanctions to punish “false information” about Russia’s actions abroad, as part of measures taken to control information about the offensive in Ukraine.
The law is meant to supplement the one that was adopted in early March, which provides for up to 15 years in prison for publishing “false information” about the Russian military.
The text, adopted in third reading, sanctions the “public dissemination of deliberately false information” about “activities of the organs of the Russian State outside Russian territory”, according to a statement from Parliament.
The law contemplates penalties of up to three years in prison, or up to five if it is a group activity, an “abuse of official position”, an “artificial creation of evidence” or if the act is “motivated by political, ideological, racial, national or religious hatred or hostility”.
The penalty provided can be increased to 15 years in prison if the “false information” has “carried serious consequences.”
The bill, which will enter into force when President Vladimir Putin ratifies it, also includes sanctions of up to five years in prison for “public actions that seek to discredit the exercise of their powers by the organs of the Russian State outside the territory. ”.
Since its offensive in Ukraine began on February 24, Russia has banned numerous local and foreign media outlets and social networks Facebook, Instagram and Twitter in the territory. The American group Meta was classified as “extremist”.
At least three people who had posted anti-conflict messages online are already being prosecuted for that reason.
Source: Gestion
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