MOSCOW, February 12 (RAPSI) – Lawmakers have submitted to the State Duma a bill on the pre-trial blocking of websites that contain false information on banks and public companies, Digit.ru reported Wednesday.

The bill has been drafted by Natalia Burykina, Chair of the State Duma Committee on Financial Market, and Alexei Mitrofanov, Chair of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy.

The MPs proposed websites be blocked if they were found to contain false data on banks and banking systems, as well as public organizations, loan and insurance companies and other companies “involved in stock markets that must make their consolidated financial reports public,” Vedomosti reported in January.

“These include all organizations that sell their stocks on markets. However, some law enforcement agencies in their reviews have already suggested extending the measure to all profit-making organizations,” the newspaper quoted Mitrofanov.

It was also written that those who distribute false data would be subject to a one million ruble fine ($28,740), community work, or up to two years in prison. Vedomosti wrote that any organization or individual could report websites containing false information to the Prosecutor General's Office.

In late December, First Deputy Head of Central Bank Alexei Simanovsky spoke in the Council of Federation and said that the Bank of Russia proposed imposing criminal liability on people who publicize false allegations regarding banks' circumstances.