Dissemination of "fake" information as a basis for criminal liability due to changes in the criminal legislation of the Russian Federation made in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic

The pandemic situation that developed at the beginning of 2020 had a significant impact on almost all spheres of life in all states. The situation which had no precedents in recent history predetermined the need for adequate countermeasures on the Russian Federation leadership part. The introduction in almost all subjects of our state for a long period of non-working days as well as various prohibitive and restrictive measures have created a particularly difficult economic situation. At the same time, some citizens dissatisfied with the authorities’ activities are making attempts to destabilize the situation in our country, using the emerging external threat (COVID-19) in order to satisfy their personal political goals more often. There was a tendency for an increase in false information disseminated in the global network and especially in social networks and instant messengers regarding the reasons for the introduction of prohibitive and restrictive measures taken as a result of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Presently designed videos and messengers began to gain wide distribution which argued that the pandemic situation was fiction and was used by state authorities to hide their work shortcomings. This fact predetermined the need for an adequate response from the state and law enforcement agencies. In consequence there was the consolidation at the legislative level of criminal and administrative responsibility for the dissemination of false information regarding emergencies of a technogenic and natural reasons as well as violations of sanitary and epidemiological rules that entailed consequences of varying severity. The article examines the features of the current situation in this area and also concludes with a number of measures not only punitive but also organizational in nature which is to stabilize the situation through active preventive measures.

criminal liability, pandemic, emergency, false information, sanitary, preliminary investigation