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«Бабушка рядышком с дедушкой»
“Grandma next to grandpa”: Vladimir Putin signs a law on the occupied territories of Ukraine, which allows the detention of those who criticize the Kremlin
The law provides for up to 15 years in prison for “disseminating knowingly false information” about the Russian army
The Kremlin has been preparing for annexation since the beginning of the war.
The law can be applied not only to Ukrainian but also to foreign citizens
On Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law on the occupied territories of Ukraine, which provides for up to 15 years in prison for “disseminating knowingly false information” about the Russian army. The law also prohibits public calls for “actions aimed at violating the territorial integrity of the Russian Federation.”
According to the Russian state news agency TASS, the law defines “knowingly false information” as information that “contradicts official information from state bodies of the Russian Federation.” This means that any criticism of the Russian army or the Russian government's actions in Ukraine could be considered a crime.
The law also provides for the detention of those who criticize the Kremlin. According to the law, those who “publicly call for actions aimed at violating the territorial integrity of the Russian Federation” can be detained for up to 15 days.
The Kremlin has been preparing for annexation since the beginning of the war. In February, Putin recognized the independence of the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics, two separatist regions in eastern Ukraine. In March, he signed a law that allows Russia to annex territories that are not under its control.
The new law is part of the Kremlin's efforts to suppress dissent and consolidate its control over the occupied territories. The law can be applied not only to Ukrainian citizens but also to foreign citizens. This means that journalists, human rights activists, and other foreign nationals who criticize the Kremlin could be at risk of arrest.
**Sources**: * [TASS: Russian parliament passes bill toughening penalties for spreading fake news, calls for secession](https://tass.com/politics/1470069) * [The Moscow Times: Putin Signs Law Criminalizing ‘Fake’ News About Russian Army](https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2022/03/04/putin-signs-law-criminalizing-fake-news-about-russian-army-a76712) * [Reuters: Russia passes law with jail terms of up to 15 years for spreading 'fake' news about army](https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-passes-law-jail-terms-15-years-spreading-fake-news-about-army-2022-03-04/)