Russia Blocks Facebook, Restricts Twitter To Punish 'Fake' News

Jail terms of up to 15 years for publishing "fake news"

On Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin intensified a crackdown on media outlets and individuals who fail to hew to the Kremlin line on Russia’s war in Ukraine, blocking Facebook and Twitter and signing into law a bill that criminalizes the intentional spreading of what Moscow deems to be “fake” reports.

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed into law a bill introducing jail terms of up to 15 years for publishing "fake news" about the Russian army.

The moves against the social media giants on Friday follow blocks imposed on the BBC, the US government-funded Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, German broadcaster Deutsche Welle, and Latvia-based website Meduza.

According to the information, news media channels CNN said it would stop broadcasting in Russia while Bloomberg and the BBC said they would temporarily suspend the work of their journalists there.

BBC Director-General Tim Davie said the legislation "appears to criminalize the process of independent journalism." Further said, "The safety of our staff is paramount and we are not prepared to expose them to the risk of criminal prosecution simply for doing their jobs."

Also, An AFP journalist confirmed that Twitter was no longer refreshing its feed-in Russia.

According to the statement given by Vyacheslav Volodin, the speaker of the lower house of parliament said the measure "will force those who lied and made statements discrediting our armed forces to bear very grave punishment."

Adding more he says, "I want everyone to understand, and for society to understand, that we are doing this to protect our soldiers and officers, and to protect the truth."