Wikipedia challenges Russia: appeal against the accusation of disinformation

Kiev, Ukraine – September 22, 2014: Close-up shot of brand new Google Nexus 5, powered by Android 4.4 version, with Wikipedia website homepage on a screen.

Wikimedia Foundation confirmed that he will present appeal to court ruling in Russia linked to information about the war in Ukraine published on Wikipedia. The Russian court has judged this information as “false” and “capable of giving rise to public unrest”, even condemning the Wikipedia foundation to pay a fee fine of 80 thousand euros. Here are the details on the evolution of the case:

Wikipedia will appeal the Russian court ruling on “disinformation” about the war in Ukraine

Last June 6th, The Wikimedia Foundation filed an appeal against the Russian court ruling on the alleged disinformation of the contents published in the encyclopedia related to the war in Ukraine. According to the ruling, Wikipedia would have spread fake news, in Russian language, on the invasion of Ukraine, war crimes and various dramatic episodes of recent months such as the Bucha massacre.

The ruling resulted in a maxi fine per Wikimedia, based on the legislation passed by the local government regarding the so-called “special operation” launched at the end of February. Over the next few weeksthe Russian court will have to consider the appeal filed by Wikimedia in these days. More details on the case, therefore, will come shortly.

The foundation’s comment

Stephen LaPorte, Associate General Counsel at the Wikimedia Foundation, said, The government is targeting information vital to people’s lives in a time of crisis. We urge the court to reconsider in favor of the rights of all to access to knowledge and free expression “