Russian parliament backs confiscating property of anyone spreading 'fake news' about army -official

The new law, which will still need to be approved by the upper house of parliament and President Vladimir Putin, would also allow the state to seize the property of Russians who have left the country and have criticised the war in Ukraine while continuing to rely on revenue from renting out their houses or apartments in Russia.

Russia's lower house of parliament on Wednesday gave its final approval to a new law that would allow the authorities to confiscate property from people convicted of deliberately spreading fake news about the army. The chamber, the State Duma, had approved the legislation in its third and final reading, Vyacheslav Volodin, its chairman, said on his official Telegram channel.

The measure will also apply to those found guilty of "discrediting" the armed forces, those calling for sanctions against Russia and those found guily of inciting extremist activity. The new law, which will still need to be approved by the upper house of parliament and President Vladimir Putin, would also allow the state to seize the property of Russians who have left the country and have criticised the war in Ukraine while continuing to rely on revenue from renting out their houses or apartments in Russia.