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Russian Lower House Outlaws Spreading of Fake News, Insulting of State

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Russian lower house passed on Thursday a law prohibiting the dissemination of fake information.
Sputnik

The law prohibits spreading fake information that threatens human life and health and may disrupt social order or public security.

According to the law, the prosecution now can address the telecommunications watchdog, Roskomnadzor, requesting measures to limit access to a digital news outlet that has published a piece of fake news.

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A fine for breaching the law may reach nearly $6,000 for individuals, $14,000 for public officials and $23,000 for legal entities.

Also, the Russian State Duma also passed a bill on blocking information that insults the state or state symbols.

Under the bill, the access to information expressed in an indecent form, which constitutes an affront to human dignity and public morality, demonstrates obvious disrespect for society, the state, the official state symbols of Russia, the country’s constitution or bodies exercising state power in Russia, may be restricted.

If such information is found, the Russian prosecutor general or his deputies should turn to Roskomnadzor, requesting to remove this information or to limit the access to outlets that distribute it, in case they fail to delete this piece.

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