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US IT companies’ meddling in Russian elections to have criminal consequences — lawmaker

Tightening the responsibility of IT companies for violations of Russian law "will become one of the priority goals for the deputies who will be elected to the State Duma in September," Vasiliy Piskaryov also noted

MOSCOW, September 16. /TASS/. Attempts by Apple and Google to interfere in Russian elections may have criminal consequences, Vasiliy Piskaryov, head of the State Duma commission on investigation of foreign meddling said on Thursday.

"The American corporations were provided with all necessary explanations of the legal consequences to their attempts to interfere in the State Duma elections. These consequences may also have a criminal nature," Piskaryov said in the commission’s Telegram channel.

The lawmaker underscored that "no tricks regarding the specifics of registration of subsidiaries will help Apple and Google avoid the responsibility for attempted interference in the elections," adding that "specific structures and people" associated with these digital platforms will be held responsible for violations of Russian law.

Piskaryov noted that tightening the responsibility of IT companies for violations of Russian law "will become one of the priority goals for the deputies who will be elected to the State Duma in September." The lawmaker disclosed that this legislative package is currently being prepared in cooperation with the upper house.

On Thursday, Andrey Klimov, head of the Federation Council commission on the protection of state sovereignty and the prevention of foreign meddling in Russian internal affairs, announced that the Russian Prosecutor’s Office sent requests to the management of Apple and Google to remove violations related to the election interference.