15 years is a "fake"

We explain Article 207.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, which will only appear today or tomorrow to make the work of journalists even more dangerous

Against the background of everything that is happening (let's call it so), the State Duma predictably changes the Criminal Code, mining the information space. According to TASS, the profile committee has already approved the bill on the addition of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation Article 207.3: “Public distribution of knowingly false information on the use of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation”. There is no doubt that not today and tomorrow these amendments will already be approved in three readings.

The spread of fakes (for brevity) without aggravating circumstances will be punishable by a fine of up to 1.5 million rubles or imprisonment for up to three years. But if this is done from selfish motives or using an official position, the penalty will increase to 5 million, and the period of imprisonment will already be from five to 10. If the extension of fakes will entail grave consequences, you will have to sit from 10 to 15 years.

The serial number “207.3” is assigned on the principle of “proximity”: Article 207 of the Criminal Code interprets of a knowingly false message about the act of terrorism, and 207.1 and 207.2 were included in the Criminal Code in April 2020 in connection with pandemia - the latter, in particular, establishes “public distribution under the guise of reliable messages of obviously false socially significant information”, in depending on the severity of the consequences, on 700 thousand rubles of a fine to imprisonment for up to five years.

In principle, this composition also covers the actions that the Duma now decided to punish with a special article, however, part 3 (grave consequences) by the term of punishment immediately attributes this composition to the “particularly grave” - it means that this is the so -called “arrest” article, according to which it is possible to detain a crime (this is the judicial practice). It will be considered serious consequences - again in practice, for example, the death of people.

It is gratifying that the project saves in the design of Art. 207.3 of the Criminal Code is a sign of “knowing” information falsity, although, unlike the older sister (207.2), it does not indicate its distribution “under the guise of reliable messages”. This will slightly facilitate the work of the investigation, although it theoretically is also difficult to prove the “deliberate” lie.

But this, if you follow the right, and the ambush is that in the situation, no one will be especially considered with him.

Not so much judicial as the investigative practice will interpret the aggravating signs: it may turn out that receiving a salaries in the editorial office forms a selfish motive for him, and the position in the media will become “using the official position”.

The most difficult thing, if we follow the right, will prove the causal relationship between the publication of the “knowing” fake and the consequences, especially if they are “serious”. It is very difficult to imagine such a connection as a straight line, so no one will bother with this: they will be enough, send them into custody, and then adjust the “consequences” on the principle: “After that, it means, as a result,”.

The danger of journalistic work will increase, but not so much: the information field is already completely mined.

You can encourage yourself with the fact that no one will sit in the new article for 15 years, and five hardly: the country and the world began to change at such a speed that the one who survived will receive freedom, I think, nevertheless before.