Russian Duma to equate insults spread online with public ones
The MPs of Russian Duma has introduced a bill that equated insults on the Internet to public ones. The draftlaw was submitted by deputies from United Russia, it was published on the website of the Russian parliament on May 12, Radio Svoboda reported.
The insult is proposed to be considered as public, if it was published not only in mass media, but also in "information and telecommunications networks", in particular on the Internet.
In addition, it is proposed to amend the insult concept by itself, adding to the definition of "humiliation of honor and dignity of another person, expressed in an obscene manner," the words "or other degrading, such as offending public morals."
Fines for such insults are set at 5 to 10 thousand rubles for citizens (around $68-136), from 50 to 100 thousand (around $ 683-1366) for officials and from 200 to 700 thousand (around $ 2733 – 9 567)for legal entities.
In addition, Russian MPs are proposing to introduce penalties for officials who "insulted citizens" - a fine and a ban on holding public office for up to one year.
It will be recalled that in Russia in March 2019, laws on liability for disseminating "fake" news and insults to the authorities and state symbols on the Internet came into force, which provide for penalties in the form of fines and administrative arrest.
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