The work of journalists in Russia can be attributed to the new rules
What will the new initiative of the state Duma.
Russian journalists can start to prosecute for insulting the country’s leadership — the problem of lighting works of power in the media is concerned the speaker of the state Duma Vyacheslav Volodin. He even instructed the international Affairs Committee to perform the European legislation in this field and to submit a report. What can cause new restrictions? About it Ivan Yakunin.
At the last meeting of the state Duma by Vladimir Zhirinovsky. With his characteristic Verve, he criticized some journalists and publications which, in his opinion, allow themselves to insults to senior government officials. Specific quotes he failed, but received the support of speaker of the lower house, who noted that such issues require legislative regulation.
In an interview with “Kommersant FM” the Vice-speaker of the state Duma Pyotr Tolstoy explained that it was not about insult specific politicians: “what was discussed, concerns of the institutions that is not an insult to individuals. Such articles are in the legislation of many countries when it comes to insulting the flag, emblem, anthem, Institute of the President, the Parliament,” said Mr. Thick.
So we are talking about the systematic attempts to discredit the institutions of power.Peter Tolstova-speaker of the state Duma
If you analyze it a quote Zhirinovsky, the question arises, why the new restrictions? Already operate in Russia criminal liability for public insult of representative of authority at execution — it is threatened with the penalty to 40 thousand rubles, or correctional labor up to one year. There are the usual administrative section for public insult, there’s a penalty much less.
But the idea is to study the international experience can benefit, says associate Professor of the Department “Media” Higher school of Economics, lawyer Elena Sherstoboeva: “In the case of Council of Europe standards, if media reports do not involve incitement to violence, the criminalization of the law is extremely undesirable”.
Of course, it would be great if our government will finally pay attention to General trends in the different civilized, democratic countries in which there is a liberalization of these laws and decriminalization.Elena Sherstoboeva of the Department of “Media” Higher school of Economics, lawyer
Lately it not the first initiative that can make life difficult for journalists. In March, the state Duma introduced two bills for waiver denials and dissemination of information, which the court found unreliable. For this correspondent first face administrative and then penal responsibility.
In this context, the new measure will only increase the pressure, says chief editor of the magazine The New Times Yevgenia Albats. Her Zhirinovsky called among those who allow themselves to insults to the officials: “If the Lord Volodin and Zhirinovsky want to strangle the last that still somehow breathing, flag in their hands.”
I just want to remind you that one of the reasons for the downfall of the Soviet Union was exactly that there was no information about what is really going on in the vastness of the Fatherland. Because all the secretaries of regional committees of the party lied to the centre about the real state of the economy.Eugene Albany editor magazine The New Times
It is curious that the leader of the liberal democratic party is trying to lobby for this initiative. After all, he often allows himself strong word in public. And if a hot dispute with Ksenia Sobchak on the debate can not be called insulting a government official, falls under this definition hostile conversation Zhirinovsky, the Deputy of “United Russia” Konstantin Zatulin, the TV channel “Russia 1”.
Will there be some of these words in the new law be considered an insult, is still unknown. In the official list of forbidden words, compiled by Roskomnadzor, a total of five positions. But it is obvious that you can insult and much more elegant wording.