Russian deputies adopted a text on Friday that provides for heavy prison sentences and fines for anyone publishing “false information” about the army, in the midst of an invasion of Ukraine by Moscow forces.
This amendment, adopted at third reading by the lower house of Parliament (Duma), provides for various penalties of up to 15 years in prison if “false information” leads to “serious consequences” for the armed forces.
A separate amendment, also adopted on Friday, also provides sanctions for “calls to impose sanctions on Russia”, a country facing harsh Western retaliation for its invasion of Ukraine.
These texts apply to the general population, and not only to information professionals.
These texts aim to strengthen the repressive arsenal of the authorities who are strengthening their control of information in the midst of an offensive on Ukraine.
On Friday, the media regulator announced that it had restricted access to four independent media, including the Russian-language edition of the BBC, at the request of the prosecution.
Regarding the invasion of Ukraine, the Russian authorities have banned the media from using information other than official statements on this subject. They also banned the use of words like “war” and “invasion”.
The Kremlin and the mainstream media, which are mostly under control, present the invasion of Ukraine as a limited-scale “special operation” aimed at “protecting” the Russian-speaking populations of Ukraine from “genocide”. “.
The Russian offensive in Ukraine, which left many civilians dead, sparked international outcry and a shower of Western sanctions against Moscow.