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Russia to introduce large fines for spreading fake news on coronavirus

© Pyotr Kovalev/TASS

MOSCOW, March 31. /TASS/. Individuals spreading deliberately false information about the novel coronavirus will face a fine of up to 700,000 rubles (about $8,800), according to a legislative amendment approved by a relevant parliamentary committee.

The draft bill, to which this amendment was proposed, establishes criminal liability with a punishment of up to seven years in prison for violations of epidemiological legislation, which led to an outbreak of a disease or caused deaths.

The amendment, uploaded to the State Duma’s electronic database of legislative acts late on Monday, introduces a new provision to Russia’s Criminal Code. According to it, Article 207.1 outlaws "public dissemination of deliberately false information in the form of credible messages about circumstances that pose a threat to people’s life and health and/or about measures taken to ensure the safety of citizens and territories and ways to protect from the above-mentioned circumstances."

The offenders will be punished with a fine of 300,000-700,000 rubles (about $3,800-$8,800), or their income for a period between one year to 18 months, or community service for a period of up to 360 hours, or correctional labor for a period of up to one year, or restricted liberty for up to three years.

If dissemination of false information leads to grave consequences, those guilty will be punished with a prison term of up to five years.

"Public dissemination of deliberately false information of social importance in the form of credible messages," which entailed bodily harm through negligence, will be punishable with a fine of between 700,000 and 1.5 million rubles ($8,800-$18,900), or the convict’s income for a period of up to 18 months, or community service for a period of up to one year, or correctional labor or prison term of up to three years.

If dissemination of fake news led to a person’s death through negligence, it will be punishable with a fine of up to 2 million rubles ($25,000), or the convict’s income for a period of up to three years, or community service for a period of up to two years, or correctional labor or prison term of up to five years.

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