Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday signed laws that penalise people for disrespecting state symbols and allow the blocking of media for publishing “fake news”, local news agency Tass reported. Moscow has imposed a fine of up to $23,000 (approximately Rs 15.7 lakh) for a fake news violation and up to Rs 2 crore in fines and 15 days of imprisonment for those who repeatedly insult state symbols.

The law states that violators risk jail time for “clear disrespect for society, the state, the official state symbols of the Russian Federation, the Constitution of the Russian Federation and bodies exercising state power.”

The Presidential Human Rights Council had opposed the laws while they were being passed in Parliament and stressed that they could be used to repress critics of the administration. Earlier in March, citizens protested Moscow’s decision to establish a “sovereign internet” that would channel online traffic through domestic servers and exchanges.

Moscow, however, has refuted criticism against the laws, The Moscow Times reported. “What is more, this sphere of fake news, insulting and so on, is regulated fairly harshly in many countries of the world including Europe,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. “It is therefore of course necessary to do it in our country too.”

Over 100 public figures have signed a petition against the laws and described them as “direct censorship.”