Russian President Vladimir Putin has given his approval to amendments to a law that will restrict media coverage of the upcoming presidential election in the following year, as reported by local news agencies.
The election is scheduled to take place in March. The 71-year-old president, who has been in power for 24 years, is expected to run for another six-year term. Putin has not officially announced his candidacy, stating that he will do so only after the election date is formally set by parliament.
The approved changes limit media coverage of sessions held by the Central Election Commission to registered media outlets, potentially excluding freelancers and independent journalists, according to reports on Tuesday.
These amendments also prohibit media outlets from reporting on the commission’s activities at military bases or in areas under martial law without prior clearance from regional and military authorities.
Furthermore, the publication of any campaign content on “blocked sources,” which refers to restricted websites and social media services, is also prohibited.
As part of an increasingly strict crackdown on the opposition and the flow of information, Russia has banned various websites and services, including Facebook and Instagram.
Article from www.aljazeera.com