Russia’s lower chamber of parliament, the State Duma, approved in the second reading on Thursday legislative amendments introducing penalty for insulting participants of the “special military operation” in Ukraine.
The lawmakers extended the ban on public insult of the Russian armed forces to volunteer formations, organizations and persons who assist the Russian military.
The amendments suggest penalties worth 30,000-500,000 rubles (some $400-6,700), depending on the severity of the insult.
The lawmakers designated “discreditation” as “any public dissemination of deliberately false information, as well as public actions aimed at defaming the armed forces of the Russian Federation, volunteer formations, organizations and persons who assist in the performance of the tasks assigned to the armed forces of Russia.”
According to the Russian legislative procedure, the bill has to be considered and approved in three readings by the State Duma, after which it goes for the consideration in three readings of the upper chamber of parliament, the Council of Federation.
If both chambers of the parliament approve the bill, it goes to the president, who may ether sign it into law or return to the parliament for revision.
Source: Anadolu Agency