Russian lawmakers want to triple prison terms for online ‘calls to riot’ to keep ‘foreign agents’ and Russians abroad from ‘provoking’ unrest
Lawmakers have submitted a bill to Russia’s State Duma that would increase criminal penalties for calls to mass riots, one of its authors, Vasily Piskarev, said.
Lawmakers in Russia have proposed amending the legal system to triple prison sentences for online calls urging mass riots, according to one of the bill's authors. Currently, Russia's criminal code mandates a maximum two-year imprisonment for inciting riots. The proposed legislation would expand this to four years for such offenses committed electronically.
Calls to riot made online would be recognized as a distinct criminal act, punishable by up to six years in prison. The bill's primary rationale, as explained by its primary sponsor, Vasily Piskarev, is to counteract the efforts of "our adversaries — the collective West and the fugitive criminals, relocants, and foreign agents under its control — who persistently try to incite our citizens into participating in disturbances and entice them to commit crimes."
The government and Russia's Supreme Court have expressed support for the proposed amendments. This reporting piece was authored by a Meduza journalist and translated into English using an AI model that adheres to stringent editorial guidelines. Every draft undergoes review by a Meduza editor prior to publication. For any discrepancies in this English translation, inquiries can be directed to reports@meduza.io. Access to Meduza's exclusive English content requires a subscription to their newsletter.
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