# BBC halts reporting in Russia after new law passes Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2022-03-04 Category: NEWS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news Meta Title: BBC Suspends Reporting in Russia Over 'Fake News' Meta Description: The BBC halted operations in Russia after a law was passed punishing spread of disinformation with up to 15 years in jail. URL: https://financedigest.com/bbc-halts-reporting-in-russia-after-new-law-passeshtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/2022-03-04t191855z1lynxmpei2312krtroptp4britain-bbc-scandal-1736816008498-compressed.jpg) LONDON (Reuters) – The BBC said on Friday it had stopped reporting in Russia after parliament passed a law there imposing a jail term of up to 15 years for anyone found to be intentionally spreading “fake” news. Russian officials have said that false information has been spread by Russia’s enemies such as the United States and its Western European allies in an attempt to sow discord among the Russian people. Lawmakers passed amendments to the criminal code making the spread of “fake” information an offence punishable with fines or jail terms. They also imposed fines for anyone calling for sanctions against [Russia following the invasion of Ukraine](https://www.financedigest.com/analysis-action-wanes-at-u-n-to-isolate-russia-almost-six-months-into-ukraine-war.html "Analysis: Action wanes at U.N. to isolate Russia almost six months into Ukraine war"). The Kremlin did not immediately respond to a Reuters’ request for comment on the BBC move. BBC Director General Tim Davie said the new legislation appeared to criminalise the process of independent journalism. It leaves us no other option than to temporarily suspend the work of all [BBC News journalists and their support](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-gives-bbc-world-service-20-million-pounds-to-support-english-language-broadcasting.html "UK gives BBC World Service 20 million pounds to support English language broadcasting") staff within the Russian Federation while we assess the full implications of this unwelcome development,” he said in a statement. He added that the BBC News Service in Russian would continue to [operate from outside Russia](https://www.financedigest.com/kfc-franchisees-in-russia-ask-govt-to-halt-sale-of-stores-to-local-operator-ria.html "KFC franchisees in Russia ask govt to halt sale of stores to local operator – RIA"). Jonathan Munro, an interim director of BBC News, said the corporation was not “pulling out” journalists from Moscow but assessing the impact of the new law. By ordering his forces into Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin has sparked the worst crisis between Russia and the [West since the end](https://www.financedigest.com/londons-west-end-regains-pre-pandemic-buzz-boosting-sales.html "London’s West End regains pre-pandemic buzz, boosting sales") of the Cold War, battering financial and commodity markets, sending the rouble into a tailspin and triggering an economic isolation never before visited on such a large economy. Western governments and tech platforms have also banned the Russian news network RT, with the European Union accusing it of systematic disinformation over [Russia’s invasion of Ukraine](https://www.financedigest.com/russia-promises-to-scale-down-operations-in-northern-ukraine.html "Russia promises to scale down operations in northern Ukraine"). MEDIA FREEDOM Russia’s Foreign Ministry [says that the Western media offer a partial – and often anti-Russian – view of the world](https://www.financedigest.com/exclusive-qatarenergy-boss-says-world-cup-tension-will-not-impact-german-business.html "Exclusive-QatarEnergy boss says World Cup tension will not impact German business") while failing to hold their own leaders to account for corruption or devastating foreign wars like Iraq. Western leaders including British [Prime Minister](https://www.financedigest.com/economist-odor-picked-as-slovakias-caretaker-prime-minister.html "Economist Odor picked as Slovakia’s caretaker prime minister") Boris Johnson and former U.S. President Barack Obama have long raised concerns about the dominance of state media in Russia and [say the freedoms won](https://www.financedigest.com/swiss-national-bank-says-inflation-battle-not-yet-won.html "Swiss National Bank says inflation battle not yet won") when the Soviet Union collapsed have been rolled back by Putin. The new legislation was passed by parliament and will become [law when Putin signs](https://www.financedigest.com/president-trump-signs-executive-orders-on-trade-and-designates-trade-and-customs-law-violations-as-law-enforcement-high-priority.html "President Trump Signs Executive Orders on Trade and Designates Trade and Customs Law Violations as Law Enforcement “High Priority”") it, as he is widely expected to do. It was not clear when Putin would sign the measure. It appeared to [give the Russian state much stronger powers](https://www.financedigest.com/giving-women-the-power-to-make-money-and-take-control-of-their-destiny.html "Giving women the power to make money and take control of their destiny") to crack down, by making it a criminal offence to spread fake information, with a jail term. If the fakes lead to [serious consequences](https://www.financedigest.com/corporate-manslaughter-beyond-the-tragic-loss-of-lives-there-are-serious-consequences-to-businesses.html "Corporate Manslaughter Beyond the tragic loss of lives there are serious consequences to businesses"), then imprisonment of up to 15 years threatens,” the lower house of parliament, known as the Duma in Russian, said in a statement. [Russia had earlier cut](https://www.financedigest.com/pimco-cut-big-position-in-russia-cds-by-adding-bonds-in-q2.html "PIMCO cut big position in Russia CDS by adding bonds in Q2") access to several foreign news organisations’ websites, including the BBC, Voice of America and Deutsche Welle, for spreading what it said was false information about its war in Ukraine. Voice of America said in a statement that audiences in Russia deserved [access to factual news content and it would continue to support](https://www.financedigest.com/51-of-brits-support-teresa-may-and-would-grant-access-to-their-personal-communication-and-internet-browsing-history-as-part-of-the-snoopers-charter.html "51%* of Brits support Teresa May and would grant access to their personal communication and internet browsing history as part of the Snooper’s Charter ") tools that allow them to bypass any blocking efforts. [Deutsche Welle posted](https://www.financedigest.com/deutsche-post-raises-annual-dividend-warns-of-challenging-2023.html "Deutsche Post raises annual dividend; warns of challenging 2023") a letter to Russians on its German website, saying it regretted the decision and urged readers to bypass the internet blockade. The BBC said in a statement in response: “Access to accurate, independent information is a fundamental human right which should not be denied to the people of Russia, millions of whom rely on BBC News every week.” It had also said in a statement it would start broadcasting four hours of news a day in English on shortwave radio in [Ukraine and parts of Russia](https://www.financedigest.com/ukraine-asks-for-south-korea-cybersecurity-aid-amid-russia-invasion.html "Ukraine asks for South Korea cybersecurity aid amid Russia invasion"), reviving a antiquated technology used in the Cold War to circumvent state censorship. The BBC, Britain’s national broadcaster founded 100 years ago, is [publicly funded but independent from government](https://www.financedigest.com/the-network-group-events-calls-on-the-government-to-invest-in-public-awareness-campaign-around-cyber-security.html "The Network Group Events calls on the Government to invest in public awareness campaign around cyber security"). It is one of the world’s largest news organisations, delivering television, radio and internet reports to audiences in [Britain and beyond](https://www.financedigest.com/boost-for-brexit-britains-fintech-sector-as-fca-moves-to-engage-beyond-london.html "Boost For Brexit Britain’s Fintech Sector As Fca Moves To Engage Beyond London"). Its [“World Service”](https://www.financedigest.com/the-digital-first-world-financial-services-predictions-for-2022.html "The digital-first world: financial services predictions for 2022") international broadcasting arm reports in more than 40 languages on radio and the internet, including a Russian service. It said on Wednesday its Russian language news website reached 10.7 million people in the last week, more than triple its weekly average in the [year to date](https://www.financedigest.com/explainer-international-womens-day-date-history-and-this-years-theme.html "Explainer-International Women’s Day: date, history and this year’s theme"). (Writing by Kate Holton and Guy Faulconbridge; Additional reporting by Joseph Nasr and Dawn Chmielewski; Editing by Andrew Heavens) --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---