MOSCOW, March 2. /TASS/. The Russian State Duma passed in second reading a bill that introduces criminal responsibility for discrediting all participants of the special military operation, including volunteers.
Under the bill, responsibility for public discrediting of any type of special operation participants may carry up to 7 years in prison, if such actions caused death or mass riots. Under current legislation, a similar crime carried administrative penalty or up to three years in prison in case of repeated offence. It currently carries up to five years in prison, if it caused death or mass riots. The proposed amendments expand the corresponding legislation to cover volunteers and tighten potential penalties - up to five and seven years, accordingly.
The bill also proposes to include volunteers to the law on dissemination of fake news about the Russian Armed Forces. Under current legislation, public dissemination of knowingly false information about Russian Armed Forces that caused severe consequences may carry up to 15 years in prison.
The bill also tightens sanctions for public dissemination of knowingly false information about the use of Russian Armed Forces (including volunteer units) abroad - from three to five years in prison. This offence also carries potential monetary fine that will remain unchanged - between 700,000 and 1.5 million rubles.