Putin targets U.S. social media, secret agent leaks and protests with
new laws
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[December 31, 2020]
MOSCOW (Reuters) - President
Vladimir Putin signed an array of laws on Wednesday handing Russia new
powers to restrict U.S. social media giants, label individuals "foreign
agents", and to crack down on the disclosure of its security officers'
personal data.
The laws, which also introduce new restrictions for protests, cap a year
of constitutional reforms allowing Putin, 68, to stand for two more
six-year terms in the Kremlin instead of stepping down in 2024 as he had
been legally required to do.
Other reforms such as one granting former presidents lifelong immunity
from prosecution have kept analysts guessing about his plans as Moscow's
ties with the West have come under new strain over the poisoning of
Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.
One of Wednesday's laws enables Russia to block or restrict access to
sites that "discriminate" against its media, part of a campaign under
Putin to increase Russia's internet "sovereignty" that has fuelled fears
of creeping China-style controls.
Twitter currently labels some Russian media "state-affiliated media", a
move decried by Moscow. The law's backers cited complaints made about
prejudice shown by Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
A second law introduces hefty fines of up to 20% of their previous
year's Russia-based turnover for sites that repeatedly fail to remove
banned content, something that YouTube and Facebook have often failed to
do according to Russian lawmakers.
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Russia's President Vladimir Putin chairs a joint meeting of the
country's State Council and the Council for Strategic Development
and National Projects via a video conference call at the Novo-Ogaryovo
state residence outside Moscow, Russia December 23, 2020.
Sputnik/Mikhail Klimentyev/Kremlin via REUTERS
A third law prohibits the disclosure of the personal data of Russian
security officials, records that are sometimes leaked online and
have been used by investigative journalists to track clandestine
operations.
Earlier this month, investigative website Bellingcat used flight
records and other data to identify a group of alleged Federal
Security Service agents whom Navalny has accused of trying to poison
him in August, an allegation denied by Moscow.
Other new laws introduced jail sentences of up to two years for
slander online as well as new regulations that would prohibit the
funding of protests by "foreign agents" and allow rallies to be
banned due to emergencies.
Another law granted authorities new powers to label individuals
"foreign agents" and also jail them for five years if they fail to
report their activities correctly.
(Reporting by Tom Balmforth; editing by Angus MacSwan)
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