Human rights council under the Russian president Vladimir Putin also does not like the new laws on fake news and insulting of Russian official authorities. The council asked the Putin to reject the law, but it asked to improve these laws. According to the council the law “unproportionally restricts the right on freedom of expression”. The liability, provided for dissemination of fake news, is excessive council believes.
The council has analysed the proposed laws on fake news and insulting of Russian official authorities and published its conclusion on official web-site. According to analyse the law can bankrupt many Russian mass media because the “probability of mistake in news is pretty high”. Besides the laws are contrary to Russian constitution which provides the Russian citizens with right on “freedom of meaning and word”. The human rights council is not alone who believes the law is far from “ideal or at least necessary”.
The journalists and writers also believe the law is the means of “direct censorship”. More than hundred journalists and writers have made open statement regarding new laws. They called these law “open declaration on establishment of direct censorship regime”. The statement authors also mentioned the article 29 of Russian constitution. According to this article the censorship in Russia is out of law and forbidden. The journalists and writers believe the new law allow “any officer at his/her own discretion, without court and investigation, by his/her own decision… to forbid the dissemination of any information”.
Press secretary of Russian president – Dmitry Peskov – does not believe the new laws are the means of direct censorship. He believes the law is “quite thoughtful”. He stated the fake news is strictly regulated in many foreign countries and it is necessary to act similarly in Russia. He also believes the fears regarding implementation of new laws can be groundless.
The Russian Federation Council has approved the laws on fake news and insulting of authorities. Some of Russian senators tried to draw attention that certain definitions in law are too broad. They also believe the provisions of law do not comply with legal norms on freedom of word provided in Russian constitution and convention on protection of human rights.
The most senators believe the new laws introduce “mechanism protecting the political stability” from “orange bedlam”. The co-author of the draft law said the negative review from the human rights council is unprofessional and is of “political or philosopher nature”.
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