Wikipedia, a digital service for publications on various topics by volunteers, has received a lawsuit from Russia for allegedly providing misinformation on war-related issues against Ukraine. However, the site appealed for not paying the initial fine of 5 million rubles (about R$448,000 in direct conversion).
this The Moscow court’s decision to fine Wikipedia’s owner, the Wikimedia Foundation, was based on a request to remove “banned information” related to the conflict. The lawsuit was filed by the state communications regulator Roskomnadzor.
Wikipedia is headquartered in San Francisco, California, but Russia says the foundation operates within the country and classifies it as a danger to public order.
In March, Russian President Vladimir Putin approved new disinformation laws that include lawsuits to remove pages that mention the conflict. In addition to a fine of 5 million rubles, the crime, described by the authorities as “misleading information”, is punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
Wkimedia states on its website that the posts are fact-based and verified by volunteers who constantly edit and improve the articles. Therefore, the deletion of the content will be a violation of the rights of individuals to freedom of expression and information.
The June 6 appeal argues that Russia has no legal jurisdiction over the foundation, which is available in more than 300 languages, according to the statement. Therefore, none of the conditions were met, such as the repeal of the articles titled “Russian occupation of Ukraine”, “war crimes during the Russian occupation of Ukraine” and “Bucha Massacre”.
*With information from Reuters and BusinessInsider
source: Noticias
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