Russia will consider property confiscations for those convicted of discrediting the army

By The Associated Press

A senior lawmaker says Russia’s parliament will consider a law allowing for the confiscation of money and property from those deemed to spread “deliberately false information” about Moscow’s military actions. Vyacheslav Volodin, the speaker of the lower house, said the measure would apply to those calling for “extremist activities” or the introduction of sanctions against Russia as well as those “discrediting” the armed forces, a criminal offense under a law adopted after Moscow sent troops into Ukraine. The law, which covers offenses such as “justifying terrorism” and spreading “fake news” about the army, is regularly used to jail and silence Putin’s critics.