UN Independent Expert Calls Russia's Fake War News Act A Violation Of Freedom Of Expression

Russia does not tolerate news of the atrocities of its army during its invasion of Ukraine. (photo; @UAWeapons)

JAKARTA – An independent communications expert from the United Nations, Friday, March 11, stated one of the Russian laws that gave Moscow more power to crack down on independent journalism. The law also puts Russia under a "total information blackout" about the war in Ukraine.

Moscow, whose troops invaded Ukraine on February 24, last week blocked Facebook and other websites and passed a law that carries a prison sentence of up to 15 years for deliberately spreading "fake" news about their military.

The move prompted the BBC, Bloomberg and other foreign media to suspend reporting in the country. But the BBC said it would resume English-language coverage from Russia on March 8 because of the "urgent need to report from within Russia".

"Russia's recent adoption of the 'fake war news' law is a worrying move by the government to shut its mouth and turn a blind eye to the entire population," said three independent UN experts appointed by the UN rights body, the Human Rights Council. Humans, in a statement cited by Reuters.

"... the law puts Russia under a total information blackout about war and thus provides the official seal of approval for disinformation and misinformation," they continued.

The experts, known as the Special Rapporteurs, are Irene Khan, Clement Voule and Mary Lawlor and are tasked with reporting on violations of freedom of expression, the right to peaceful assembly and the situation of human rights defenders.

Russian officials say that false information has been spread by Russia's enemies such as the United States and its allies in Western Europe in an attempt to sow discord among the Russian people. They called his actions in Ukraine a "special operation" to disarm him, counter what he saw as NATO aggression and arrest leaders he called neo-Nazis.

The UN experts also asked the newly created international commission of inquiry created by the UN Human Rights Council to investigate alleged violations of freedom of expression and media by Russia.