Duma to consider bills on liability for 'fake news,' 'disrespectful publications' next year
MOSCOW. Dec 12 (Interfax) - The State Duma is not going to consider bills stipulating administrative fines for "fake news" and online publications expressing disrespect for society or the state in an indecent manner before January, Chairman of the State Duma Committee on State-Building and Legislation Pavel Krasheninnikov told reporters.
"We are definitely not going to consider them before the end of this session. The bills will be considered no earlier than January of next year," Krasheninnikov said.
Since amendments to the Russian Code of Administrative Offenses have been proposed, the bills must be sent to holders of the right to legislative initiative within one month. Consequently, the bills will not be considered before the end of the current Duma session, he said.
The committee will thoroughly study proposals from Duma and Federation Council members and then determine its stance on the bills, Krasheninnikov said.
On December 12, a group of State Duma members submitted bills that would introduce fines for knowingly spreading, whether via traditional media or on the Internet, false information positioned as true reports that poses a threat to public health or public order, and bills introducing fines or administrative arrest for online distribution of materials that express disrespect for Russian society, the state, official public symbols, or bodies of power "in an indecent manner".