Putin Signs Law To Arrest Fake News - CNN Flees Russia

Putin Signs Law To Arrest Fake News - CNN Flees Russia
Proposed Russian legislation threatens 15 years in prison for ‘fake’ information about Ukraine invasion Paris, March 3, 2022 – Russian lawmakers should not pass a draft law that would threaten to imprison journalists for sharing information about the country’s recent invasion of Ukraine, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday.

The State Duma, the lower house of Russia’s legislature, is scheduled to consider legislation on Friday that would impose prison terms of up to 15 years for those convicted of disseminating “fakes,” or information that authorities deem to be false, about the actions of Russia’s armed forces, according to news reports.

The Duma could pass the bill during its Friday session, which would then send it to the upper house of parliament; if passed there, it could be enacted by President Vladimir Putin, reports said.

“Proposed Russian legislation that threatens to imprison people for sharing so-called ‘fake’ information about the country’s invasion of Ukraine is an obvious threat to free speech and the independent press,”