Arr, me hearties! The scurvy dogs in Russia be pushin' a law to seize the booty of landlubbers who besmirch the navy!
2024-01-31
Avast ye scurvy landlubbers! The landlubber parliament of Russia bein' all riled up and passed a bill that be lettin' the scoundrels in charge to take away the ill-gotten treasures of any bilge rat caught spreadin' false tales 'bout their military. Arrr, beware the wrath of the Russian seas!
The lower house of Russia's parliament, known as the State Duma, has approved a bill that would allow authorities to confiscate money, valuables, and other assets from individuals convicted of spreading "deliberately false information" about the country's military. The bill is expected to easily pass through the upper house of parliament and receive President Vladimir Putin's signature. Duma speaker Vyacheslav Volodin stated that the measure aims to punish "traitors" who criticize the country and its troops and calls for stripping them of their assets. The law would apply to those convicted of inciting extremist activities, endangering state security, or discrediting the armed forces. Discrediting the Russian military became a criminal offense following the government's crackdown on dissent after the Ukraine conflict in 2014. The proposed law does not include real estate as a subject to seizure, which distinguishes it from the draconian legislation of the Soviet era. Pavel Krasheninnikov, head of the Duma legal affairs committee, emphasized that the goal is not to revive Soviet-style confiscation. However, Russian officials have already used existing laws against discrediting the military, including offenses like justifying terrorism and spreading fake news, to silence critics of Putin. Numerous activists, bloggers, and ordinary citizens have faced lengthy prison sentences under these laws.