Russians to be jailed for insulting authorities online

The project was developed by Vasily Piskarev, head of the State Duma Committee on Security and Anti-Corruption. The Russian government supported the initiative. TASS has received a draft of the Cabinet of Ministers’ recall, approved by the government commission on legislative activities.

The document provides for more severe penalties for publicly insulting a government official in the performance of his official duties. The punishment may include a fine of up to 80 thousand rubles, compulsory labor for up to 460 hours or correctional labor for up to two years. The current version of Article 319 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation provides for less stringent measures: a fine of up to 40 thousand rubles, compulsory labor for up to 360 hours or correctional labor for up to one year.

In addition, liability is introduced for the same actions committed on the Internet or in the media. In such cases, more severe sanctions are provided for: a fine of up to 1 million rubles, deprivation of the right to hold certain positions for up to three years, compulsory work for up to 480 hours, forced labour or imprisonment for up to two years.

Press Secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov, commenting on the bill, noted that “the government should not and cannot be free from criticism,” however, “criticism and insults… [это] different concepts.” “The main thing is whether it is criticism. [со стороны] people, population. Because government officials work for the benefit of these people and serve these people,” he emphasized.

In 2023, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation clarified in which cases insulting a government official is criminally punishable. The court indicated that such an act involves “public humiliation of honor and dignity” committed during the performance of the victim’s official duties or in connection with their performance. Insult can manifest itself in the form of public swearing, publication of defamatory information in the media or on the Internet, as well as in actions that humiliate the honor and dignity of an official.