Deputies approved a fine of up to 700 thousand rubles in the first reading. for trash streams

The State Duma adopted in the first reading amendments to the Code of Administrative Offenses and the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, introducing liability for the broadcast of trash streams. It is proposed to punish “unlawful acts committed with cruelty” on video on the Internet with fines of up to 700 thousand rubles, and the commission of “deliberate crimes with public demonstration” on the Internet should be considered an aggravating circumstance within the framework of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation and a qualifying feature in articles on intentional causing harm to health, murder, beatings, torture and kidnapping. During the Duma discussion, concerns were voiced that filming from war zones and natural disasters could be banned.

Draft amendments to the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation and the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation were developed by a group of 29 State Duma deputies (among them United Russia members Irina Yarovaya, Pyotr Tolstoy and Artem Metelev) and four senators and introduced into parliament in December 2023. Art. 13.15 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation on the abuse of freedom of mass information is proposed to be supplemented with a part on the “illegal distribution” on the Internet of “video materials depicting unlawful acts committed with cruelty” and calls to repeat these actions for “selfish” and other motives. For this offense, it is proposed to fine citizens in the amount of 200–600 thousand rubles, and officials in the amount of up to 700 thousand rubles. (with the seizure of cameras and other equipment used to prepare the broadcasts). It is stipulated that sanctions do not apply to “works of science, literature, art,” materials from “registered media,” educational and medical materials. In Art. 63 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (on aggravating circumstances) it is proposed to include the commission of “deliberate crimes with public demonstration” in the media and the Internet. Deputies want to consider this same offense a qualifying feature under Art. 111, 115 and 111 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation on the intentional infliction of grave, light and moderate harm, respectively. It is proposed to introduce a similar qualifying feature into the articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation on murder, beatings, torture, kidnapping, the use of slave labor and illegal imprisonment.

The explanatory notes talk about trash streams that have gained popularity with bullying and tormenting victims, whose authors “play on the sadistic instincts of a certain segment of Internet users.”

Public demonstration of crimes on streams also encroaches “on public safety and order, introducing criminal behavior to the level of acceptable.” The viewers of the broadcasts, judging by the explanatory note, are children and youth “with unformed psyches and values,” who sometimes imitate “famous trash streamers.”

The government of the Russian Federation supported the bills, noting that the production of administrative cases for such violations will require expenses, but there is no financial justification in the amendments. The need for adoption is linked to the instructions of Russian President Vladimir Putin in June 2023 to combat “destructive content.”

“People use Internet libraries for selfish and hooligan purposes, shake up public sentiment, recruit people, erode values,” Artem Metelev, co-author of the amendments, said in the State Duma, citing requests from “voters to restore order to immoral trash content.” As an example, he cited streamers Andrei Burim (in 2020, he beat his girlfriend, was sentenced to six months of correctional labor with the deduction of 10% of earnings), Stanislav Reshetnyak (in 2020, he locked an acquaintance on the balcony during the broadcast, where she died of hypothermia; sentenced to six years in prison; in 2022, the term was reduced by one month) and Kirill Zyryanov (“held a helpless disabled person, torturing him with loud music,” filmed other streams, no criminal or administrative measures against him were reported).

“They want fame, followers and money. Broadcasts can collect millions of views and hundreds of thousands of rubles,” the deputy listed, citing data from VTsIOM about the support of 87% of respondents for punishment for trash streamers.

At the same time, Mr. Metelev emphasized that in the coming days the parliament will consider the third bill on trash streams, obliging social networks to “monitor and delete such content.” We are talking, in particular, about the draft amendments to the law “On information, information technologies and information protection”, which was introduced to the State Duma in December 2023 by the same authors.

Deputy Alexey Kurinny (KPRF) called the goals of the package “noble”, but did not understand exactly what law the “illegal distribution” of content contradicts. Alexander Aksenenko (SRZP) called the wording of the bills vague and expressed concern that “anything can be subsumed under them.” Mr. Kurinny also complained that filming from war zones and natural disasters may be prohibited. Artem Metelev responded by promising that the work of military officers and videos filmed “to attract the attention of the police” will not be affected by the law. Co-rapporteur, First Deputy Chairman of the Duma Committee on State Construction and Legislation, Irina Pankina (ER), promised to work on the wording for the second reading, excluding the provision on “illegal distribution” from the text.

The documents were adopted by the State Duma in the first reading; two weeks are given to prepare amendments.

Alexander Voronov