Radio Free Europe
RFE/RL journalists report the news in 22 countries where a free press is banned by the government or not fully established, including Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Russia.
New Russian Law On 'False Information' About Army Being Used Against Activists.
Police officers detain a demonstrator during a protest against Russia's invasion of Ukraine in Moscow on February 24.
Russia has started putting into use a recently adopted law that calls for sentences of up to 15 years in prison for people who distribute "deliberately false information" about Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The Investigative Committee said in a statement on March 16 that a probe was launched against blogger Veronika Belotserkovskaya, whose posts on Instagram "contained false information about the alleged use of the Russian armed forces for destruction of cities and civilian population in Ukraine."
Live Briefing: Russia Invades Ukraine
RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's full-scale invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, and the plight of civilians . For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war in Ukraine, click here .
Belotserkovskaya, who is based in France, reacted to the Investigative Committee's announcement in an Instagram post , saying: "I was officially recognized as a decent person!"
The Investigative Committee said Belotserkovskaya was added to the wanted list, adding that two similar cases on the same charge had been launched against two persons in the Siberian region of Tomsk.
The statement says unspecified pretrial restrictions had been imposed on the two suspects whose identities were not disclosed in the city of Tomsk and the nearby town of Seversk after their homes were searched.
The law, signed into force by President Vladimir Putin on March 5, added to the current Russian clampdown on independent domestic and international media outlets covering Moscow's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. Many domestic and international media outlets have already suspended or shut down their operations in Russia.
International broadcasters who have announced suspensions include RFE/RL, the BBC, CNN, Bloomberg, CBS, and Germany's ARD and ZDF. Multiple websites of RFE/RL, the BBC, and other outlets have also been blocked over what Russian regulators claim is erroneous reporting.
Russian media watchdog Roskomnadzor has ordered media across the country to only publish information provided by official sources. It also forbids describing the unprovoked actions as an invasion or a war, instead insisting they are called "special military operations."
The law envisages sentences of up to 10 years in prison for individuals convicted of the offense. The penalty for the distribution of fake news about the Russian Army that leads to "serious consequences" is 15 years in prison.
It also makes it illegal "to make calls against the use of Russian troops to protect the interests of Russia" or "for discrediting such use," with a penalty possible of up to three years in prison. The same provision applies to calls for sanctions against Russia.
Taliban Pulls 2 TV Channels For 'Violating Islamic Values'.
Two Afghan television channels have been taken off the airwaves for "violations against Islamic and national values," a spokesman for the Taliban-led government said on April 18.
German Foreign Minister Says G7 Needs 'Response' To Iran's Unprecedented Attack.
The G7 must respond to Iran's attack on Israel, Germany's foreign minister said on April 18, adding that measures were being discussed with her counterparts at a meeting in Italy.
Iranian Journalist Arrested After Recounting Assault By Morality Police.
Iranian journalist Dina Ghalibaf was arrested after she published a personal narrative about her previous detention by Iran’s morality police for not adhering to the mandatory hijab law.
Two Arrested In Germany For Planning Sabotage In Favor Of Russia.
Two men with dual German-Russian citizenship have been arrested in Germany for allegedly plotting acts of sabotage aimed at undermining military support for Ukraine, the German prosecutor's office reported April 18.
Ukraine Downs 13 Russian Drones
Air-defense systems shot down all 13 drones launched by Russia at Ukraine's territory on April 18, Ukraine's air force said. Most of the drones were launched at infrastructure targets in the western region of Ivano-Frankivsk.
Copenhagen's Old Stock Exchange burns
A fire has destroyed one of the oldest buildings in Copenhagen. The spire on the building, which was of particular note for its design, has collapsed as the blaze engulfed the structure. SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube channel for more videos: Follow us ...
Copenhagen's historic stock exchange building in flames - DW News.
#Copenhagen #Fire #DWNewsShorts Subscribe: For more news go to: Follow DW on social media: ►Facebook: ►Twitter: ►Instagram: ►Twitch: Für Videos in deutscher Sprache besuchen Sie:
Letter From Prison
When Belarusian journalist Andrei Skurko becomes a political prisoner based on trumped-up charges as part of an ongoing crackdown on independent media, his wife, Paulina finds herself as a single mother. Their only way of keeping in touch is throu...
Cookin' Up Policies
Francesca Hong, a chef and a restaurateur took a long look at the service industry during the COVID-19 pandemic. She decided to shake up the status quo and run for State Representative to change restaurant industry standards. She now stumps for un...
Muslim student loses legal challenge against Michaela Community School's 'prayer ban'.
A Muslim student has lost a legal challenge against a school previously dubbed Britain's strictest over its ban on "prayer rituals". The pupil, who cannot be named for legal reasons, took the action against Michaela Community School in Brent, nort...
LIVE: MPs debate Tobacco and Vapes Bill in Parliament as Sunak cracks down on smokers.
LIVE: MPs debate Tobacco and Vapes Bill in Parliament as Sunak cracks down on smokers The Sun delivers breaking news, latest gossip and incredible exclusives around the world with hubs in London, New York, Scotland and Ireland. Covering topics fro...