Russia’s Supreme Court has ruled it illegal to discuss “fake news” about the deadly coronavirus pandemic in public in addition to publishing it.
Facing public mistrust toward the country’s relatively low infection numbers at the time, Russia made spreading false information about Covid-19 punishable by up to five years in jail starting April 1.
In an explanatory note published Tuesday, the Supreme Court said the punishments extend to individuals who “not only use mass media and telecommunication networks, but also speak at meetings, rallies, distribute leaflets and hang posters.”
The law does not apply if the questionable information was published or discussed publicly before April 1, the court explained.
Russian prosecutors said they have uncovered more than 300 pieces of “fake news” about Covid-19 since February.
More than 260 websites were either blocked or have deleted the false information, the Prosecutor General’s Office was quoted as saying Wednesday. Authorities requested Russia’s media watchdog to block 80 websites for spreading “false information of public significance that threatened people’s health and lives.”
The legislation signed by President Vladimir Putin also punishes people for breaking coronavirus quarantine rules by up to seven years in prison.
Putin has previously said that fake news reports about the coronavirus were being sent to Russia from abroad to spread panic.
Russia confirmed 4,774 new coronavirus infections on Thursday, bringing the country’s official number of cases to 62,773.
(c)MOSCOW TIMES 2020
4,774 new cases today and the little yellow bug is worried about Fake News. The Moskali have dealt with discussion about this Wuhan plague about as well as the Chinese did. The Chinese encouraged the spread of the virus outside China and the Moskali encourage the spread of fake news about this virus outside of Moskovia.
“Russian prosecutors said they have uncovered more than 300 pieces of “fake news” about Covid-19 since February.”
Been reading RT and Tass have they?
I’m close to tears. I’m no longer able to post any articles here. My and Suzanna’s Twitter accounts were shut down. Seems Moscow wants to shut me up…
“Russian prosecutors said they have uncovered more than 300 pieces of “fake news” about Covid-19…”
Only the mafiosi have the privilege of creating and spreading fake news and this on every topic.
It seems a general rule among socialist governments to control information when they are unable to control the pandemic. In Europe, Spain is an example of what I say. At telematic press conferences, questions must first be checked before asking. If it doesn’t suit them, it can’t be done. They have a total disaster in purchasing medical devices from China that came defective and cannot be used. They don’t fay mean how those purchases were made.
In South America, Venezuela, the Government gives only a figure of 180 infected in the whole country and a governor reports that he has more than 100 hospitalized. Nothing happens but they decree a curfew apart from quarantine.
Now Russia announces arrests for those who report the advance of the virus. What can you say?
Very good your article. is of great interest
Cheers
Manuel
Point well taken Manuel, feel free to speak your mind here. We don’t require pre-approval :))
So is. Freedom of opinion is a right that will never be taken away