Russia Passes Law to Punish Journalists for ‘Fake News’
Amid the ongoing Ukraine invasion, Russia’s parliament on Friday passed a law making “fake” news a punishable crime.
In efforts to censor the truth and keep Russian citizens in the dark, if enacted, the law would punish any journalist who contradicts Moscow’s official statements on the war with punishments resulting in up to 15 years in prison.
Under the new law, journalists would be required to verify their reports on the invasion with official Russian government sources, The Hill reports.
The law prohibits the words “war,” “invasion,” and “attacks.”
The new law comes as Moscow has also restricted access to several international news outlets.
Individuals could also face criminal charges for reposting content on social media that does not align with the Kremlin’s depiction of the war.