White House condemns new Russian media law

Reuters
·1 min read
The White House is seen before U.S. President Joe Biden delivers his State of the Union address in Washington

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Saturday condemned a new law in Russia that threatens jail terms of up to 15 years for spreading what the Kremlin calls "fake news," and urged continued action across sectors to promote human rights and fundamental freedoms.

"We condemn the move by the Russian Federation Council to approve a law threatening prison sentences of up to 15 years for journalists," White House National Security Council spokesperson Emily Horne said in a statement.

The new Russian law makes it illegal to report any event that could discredit the country's military.

(Reporting by Daphne Psaledakis and Idrees Ali; Editing by Paul Simao)