The noose is tightening on the media and Russian citizens. Russia has introduced heavy criminal penalties for the spread of“false information about the army”, Friday, March 4, the latest illustration of the internal turn of the screw that accompanies the invasion of Ukraine. Parliament unanimously adopted an amendment which provides for penalties of up to 15 years in prison for the dissemination of information aimed at “discredit” the armed forces. Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the document, which therefore entered into force.
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Another adopted amendment provides for penalties for “calls to impose sanctions on Russia”, whose economy is struggling in the face of Western retaliatory measures after the invasion of Ukraine. These texts, which apply both to the media and to individuals, strengthen the authorities’ arsenal in the information war they are waging in Russia.
The law adopted on Friday is already producing effects. Friday, the Novaya Gazetathe most famous of Russia’s independent newspapers, announced the removal of some of its content about the invasion of Ukraine to avoid sanctions. “But we decided to continue working”, assured the media of the Nobel Peace Prize 2021 Dmitry Muratov. The BBC, for its part, announced “temporarily suspend the work of all journalists” from his office in the country.
A few hours earlier, the media regulator Roskomnadzor had restricted access in the country to the Russian-language site of the BBC, as well as German television Deutsche Welle, the independent site Meduza and Radio Svoboda, Russian antenna of RFE / RL.
The day before, the emblematic radio station Ekho Moskvy (Echo of Moscow) had announced its dissolution, and the independent television channel Dojd the suspension of its activity, after the blocking of their sites.
In addition, according to the NGO OVD-Info, more than 8,000 people have been arrested in Russia for having demonstrated, in particular in Moscow and Saint Petersburg, against the invasion of Ukraine since February 24, the day it was launched. .