Journalists in Russia could be banned from reprinting fake stories about Russian army - bill

MOSCOW. April 6 (Interfax) - Journalists in Russia would be responsible for reprinting information from other media outlets, which contains falsehoods about Russian troops deployed abroad and discredits the Russian army, under a bill introduced in the State Duma.

The changes are proposed to Article 57 of the law on mass media, which exempts editorial staff from liability for spreading false information.

At present, clause 6 part one of the Article exempts from liability for literal reproduction of reports, materials and their fragments disseminated by another media organization, which can be identified and held to account. The only exception is made for disclosure of personal data of children who are crime victims. Now the authors of the bill are proposing further exceptions by including the norms of a new article, 56.2, being drafted for the mass media law, listing cases where the Prosecutor General's Office may revoke a media outlet's registration certificate.