Russia’s Supreme Court has given its approval to a bill criminalizing satirical takes on the country’s national anthem.
Under the proposed law, anyone “intentionally distorting the words or music of the anthem in public performance, social media, and on the internet” could be sentenced to a year in prison, the BBC reported.
Insulting the anthem is currently a civil offense attracting a fine of between $45 and $2,200, while insulting the state flag and coat of arms is already a crime, the BBC reported, citing the Gazeta.ru website.
The pro-Kremlin members of parliament behind the bill say they were inspired to take action …read more
Source: European Voice
