Meanwhile In Russia, Putin Passes Law Against Protests

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law into effect criminalizing repeated street protests. (Alexei Nikolskyi/RIA Novosti/Kremlin/Reuters)

Protesting on the streets of Moscow — or any other part of Russia, for that matter — will now not only cost a pretty penny, but also could land you behind bars, after Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday signed a law into effect criminalizing repeated street protests.

The law was one of a few measures Putin signed that are expected to increase the Russian government’s ability to control public discourse and the free exchange of information.

“Under the new laws, protesters found guilty of “holding meetings, rallies, demonstrations, marches and pickets” multiple times during a six-month period will be eligible for a panoply of penalties, including fines ranging from 600,000 to 1 million rubles ($17,124 to $28,540) or two years of salary and up to five years of forced labor or prison.

Putin also signed a law to increase prison time for people who publicly call for anything that might “violate the territorial integrity of the Russian Federation.” Individuals can now receive up to four years in prison, instead of three, while appeals made via media and the Internet can bring about a five-year prison term.”

Read more: Putin Passes Law Against Protests | PopularResistance.Org.

 

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