The State Duma adopted in the first reading a bill on tougher criminal liability for libel on the Internet and on the introduction of punishment for this crime. The criminals will be fined up to 1 million rubles and imprisoned for up to two years.

      The bill was supported by 296 deputies, while 95 opposed, TASS reports. The author of the initiative is Dmitry Vyatkin, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee for the Development of Civil Society, Issues of Public and Religious Associations (“United Russia”). Amendments are made to article 128.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (libel). Now the law only provides for a fine or compulsory work.