Newest try to crush dissent comes into impact forward of presidential elections in March.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a regulation permitting authorities to confiscate the property of individuals convicted of spreading “intentionally false data” concerning the army.
The regulation, which was signed on Wednesday, targets people convicted of a variety of offences which embody “discrediting” the federal government and spreading “intentionally false data” concerning the military, threatening them with the lack of cash, property, property and valuables.
It might additionally apply to these convicted of publicly inciting “extremist actions” and calling for actions dangerous to state safety.
The measure was shortly authorized by the decrease and higher homes of parliament.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated the regulation, which may doubtlessly goal exiled critics with property at dwelling, had “completely” nothing to do with Soviet-style confiscations and stated fears it might be misused in observe had been “groundless”.
Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin had beforehand stated it targets “scoundrels and traitors, those that immediately spit on the backs of our troopers, who’ve betrayed their homeland”.
An current regulation towards “discrediting” the army was adopted as a part of a sweeping authorities crackdown on dissent after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
It covers offences akin to “justifying terrorism” and spreading “faux information” concerning the army, and has been used extensively to silence Putin’s critics.
Hundreds of activists, bloggers and different Russians have acquired lengthy jail phrases, or been detained or fined for talking out towards the warfare amid an escalating crackdown on free speech and opposition to Putin.
The brand new regulation goes into impact simply forward of the second anniversary of the Ukraine offensive and presidential elections in March that Putin is sort of sure to win.
Putin has not allowed actual electoral opposition throughout his 24-year management of Russia, with rivals akin to opposition chief Alexey Navalny behind bars.
Presidential hopeful Boris Nadezhdin, a outstanding critic of the warfare in Ukraine, has seen his bid to run blocked. He has introduced he’ll problem the choice of the election fee within the Supreme Courtroom.
