# Russia: new laws penalize online "fake news" and "disrespecting authorities"

Published 2026-09-23. Last reviewed 2026-09-22. 3 sources.

Status: historical, as of 2026-09-22.

What we don't know: The sources reviewed do not report how many people were fined or jailed under the law in its first year.

Russia's parliament passed laws letting courts jail and fine people, including journalists, for posting information the government alone judges to be false, or for statements found to disrespect officials or state symbols online.[1][2][3]

- Country: [Russia](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/ru) (RSF 2026 rank: 172nd of 180)
- Where: Russia
- Level of government: National
- Tactic: Official labels
- Stage: Pressure (ladder: https://thewaronnews.com/ladders/disinformation_labeling#stage-pressure)
- Ladder note: Russia's parliament created fines and jail terms for online posts that authorities alone judge false or disrespectful of officials; no enacted United States law imposes jail time for calling an official statement false.
- Head of government at the time: [Vladimir Putin](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/vladimir-putin)
- Issue of the day: Not stated in the sources reviewed.
- Outcome: Sustained, 7 March 2019. The laws were enacted and were later expanded in March 2022 to include prison terms of up to 15 years for wartime 'fakes.'
- Era: The 2010s

## What happened

On March 7, 2019, Russia's State Duma passed legislation permitting courts to jail and fine people who use the internet to spread what the law calls "fake news" or to disrespect government officials and state symbols, including President Vladimir Putin. Under the fake-news provisions, individuals, including journalists, could be fined up to 100,000 rubles, and companies up to 500,000 rubles, for posting unverified information that authorities determine threatens someone's life, health or property, or threatens mass public disorder. Separately, people found guilty of posting what courts call indecent statements about the government could face up to 15 days in administrative detention, with fines rising to 200,000 rubles and repeat violations carrying additional jail time. CPJ said the legislation was clearly aimed at tightening state control over independent media and pressuring journalists into restraining their own reporting.[1][2][3]

Sustained; the laws remained in force and were later expanded during the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.[1][2][3]

## What reason was given

Not stated in the sources reviewed.[1][2][3]

## What changed for reporting

The law gave authorities a standing legal tool to fine or briefly jail journalists and ordinary internet users over reporting or commentary the government alone determined to be false or disrespectful, without a specific factual dispute needing to be argued in court beforehand.[3]

## Timeline

- 2019-03-07: Russia: new laws penalize online "fake news" and "disrespecting authorities"

## Who acted

| Name | Role in this incident | Office at the time |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [Vladimir Putin](https://thewaronnews.com/actors/vladimir-putin) | other | President of Russia |

## Sources

1. Russia advances legislation on 'fake news' and 'disrespecting authorities'. https://cpj.org/2019/03/russia-advances-legislation-on-fake-news-and-disre/ (Committee to Protect Journalists, 2019-03-07).
2. Russia Criminalizes The Spread Of Online News Which 'Disrespects' The Government. https://www.npr.org/2019/03/18/704600310/russia-criminalizes-the-spread-of-online-news-which-disrespects-the-government (NPR, 2019-03-18).
3. Russia Passes Legislation Banning 'Disrespect' of Authorities and 'Fake News'. https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2019/03/07/russia-passes-legislation-banning-disrespect-of-authorities-and-fake-news-a64742 (The Moscow Times, 2019-03-07).

## Claims cited

[1] Penalty structure under the new fake-news provision. Quote: "people found guilty of publishing "indecent" posts online...would face up to 15 days in administrative detention. Individuals, including journalists, who post "fake news" could be hit with fines of up to 100,000 rubles (more than $1,500)" Source: Committee to Protect Journalists, 2019-03-07. Russia advances legislation on 'fake news' and 'disrespecting authorities'. https://cpj.org/2019/03/russia-advances-legislation-on-fake-news-and-disre/ Claim: https://thewaronnews.com/claims/684, checked 2026-09-22.

[2] The law's definition of what counts as fake news. Quote: ""fake news" as any unverified information that "threatens someone's life and (or) their health or property, or threatens mass public disorder or danger..."" Source: Committee to Protect Journalists, 2019-03-07. Russia advances legislation on 'fake news' and 'disrespecting authorities'. https://cpj.org/2019/03/russia-advances-legislation-on-fake-news-and-disre/ Claim: https://thewaronnews.com/claims/685, checked 2026-09-22.

[3] CPJ's assessment of the legislation's intent. Quote: "We are extremely troubled by the legislation that cleared Russia's State Duma today, which is clearly aimed at tightening state control over independent media and intimidating journalists into self-censorship," Source: Committee to Protect Journalists, 2019-03-07. Russia advances legislation on 'fake news' and 'disrespecting authorities'. https://cpj.org/2019/03/russia-advances-legislation-on-fake-news-and-disre/ Claim: https://thewaronnews.com/claims/686, checked 2026-09-22.

Source page: https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2019-russia-fake-news-disrespect-law. The War On News, CC BY 4.0.