The State Duma prohibits discrediting and fakes about those who provide assistance to the Russian army

Amendments prohibiting the dissemination of fakes and discrediting information about those who provide assistance to the Russian army were prepared by State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin, Vice Speaker Irina Yarovaya, chairmen of the Duma Security Committee Vasily Piskarev and Defense Committee Andrey Kartapolov. Amendments are made to Art. 207.3 of the Criminal Code (public dissemination of deliberately false information about the use of the Armed Forces) and Art. 280.3 of the Criminal Code (public actions aimed at discrediting the Armed Forces). Now, criminal punishment will be for fakes and discrediting the actions of not only the Armed Forces, but also volunteer formations, organizations and individuals that assist in the fulfillment of the tasks assigned to the Armed Forces.

The publication of information that a person who participates in a special operation has served time in prison will not be considered discrediting, one of the authors of the amendments, Kartapolov, told Vedomosti. “If a person made a mistake, but after that he atoned for it with his blood, with his life, he does not need to be rinsed. Now those who are trying to sling mud at such people will remain silent,” says Kartapolov. He notes that these amendments should not be reduced only to those who were in prison: “These amendments will also concern the discrediting of volunteers, volunteers – everyone who helps the Armed Forces.” Volodin, who announced the amendments, wrote on his Telegram channel that this initiative “will protect everyone who today, risking their lives, ensures the security of the country and our citizens.”

The second reading of the bill will take place on March 2, and the third on March 14. The profile committee on state construction supported the amendments for the second reading on March 1, the first deputy chairman of the committee on state construction, Daniil Bessarabov, told Vedomosti.

It is still difficult to say what will be considered discrediting volunteers, says human rights activist Pavel Chikov: “In any case, before someone is prosecuted under the article on discrediting, this person must first be punished with an administrative fine.” He suggests that now public negative statements about PMC “Wagner” can be the basis for punishment, but now in most courts consider anti-war statements to be discredited. Chikov adds that fakes about PMCs can be publications that they are poorly supplied, if according to official information this is not so: “But here the question arises, whose official reports about PMCs will be taken as true – press releases from the PMC itself, comments [основателя ЧВК «Вагнера» и компании «Конкорд» Евгения] Prigozhin or still briefings of the Ministry of Defense. The novella is a logical continuation of securing the status of volunteer formations and equating their status with the Russian Armed Forces, says Dmitry Gorbunov, partner at Rustam Kurmaev and Partners.

Prigogine turned to Volodin with a request to enshrine the rule on discrediting volunteers at the legislative level. A letter with such a request was published on January 24 in the social networks of the Concord company. In it, the businessman wrote that a large number of volunteers took part in the military operation, including those previously convicted, who “courageously and worthily fulfill their duty to the Motherland.” But, as Prigozhin noted, the media, bloggers and Telegram channels are looking for “negative information” about them. After the amendments were made, Prigozhin managed to send Volodin another letter (it was published on the social networks of the Concord company), in which he asked not to apply the amendments made by the deputies to the top command staff of volunteers, including the Wagner PMC, and the top command staff of the Ministry of Defense, since “this necessary to ensure the open and responsible exercise of their powers”.