Russian Government Supports Bill for Seizing Assets of Convicted 'Fake News' Offenders about the Army

The legislative activity committee of the Russian government has voted in favor of a bill proposing the confiscation of assets belonging to those convicted of disseminating 'fake news' about the army. This information has been reported by RBC and RTVI, referencing sources.

The bill was introduced by members of 'United Russia,' including Irina Yarovaya, Vasily Piskaryov, and Elena Yampolskaya. The document aims to expand Article 104.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, concerning asset confiscation.

It is proposed that assets may be confiscated from individuals convicted under the article on 'fake news' about the army (Article 207.3 of the Criminal Code) if the act was committed with selfish motives. The proposal also seeks to add to the list of offenses punishable by confiscation calls for public activities against state security (Article 280.4 of the Criminal Code).

In such cases, equipment belonging to the convicted individuals, such as computers, tablets, or mobile phones, may also be seized by the state. It is noted that the document has yet to be submitted to the State Duma.

Currently, asset confiscation is already stipulated for crimes under more than 80 articles of the Criminal Code. Since the introduction of the article on 'fake news' about the Russian army in March 2023, 273 criminal cases have been initiated in connection with it.