Putin Sings Law Introducing 15-Year Jail Term For "Fake News" On Army
NDTV
Russia -Ukraine war: Putin also signed a bill that would allow fines or jail time for calling for sanctions against Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday signed into law a bill introducing jail terms of up to 15 years for fake news about the Russian army, as Moscow pushes forward with its invasion of Ukraine.
The bill, adopted by lawmakers earlier on Friday, sets out jail terms of varying lengths and fines against people who publish "knowingly false information" about the military, with harsher penalties to hit when dissemination is deemed to have serious consequences.
Putin also signed a bill that would allow fines or jail terms of up to three years for calling for sanctions against Russia with Moscow facing harsh economic penalties from Western capitals over the invasion.
The past year has seen an unprecedented crackdown on independent and critical voices in Russia that only intensified after the start of the invasion.
