25.09.2003 Ðîññèÿ, Ìîñêâà.
Ãëàâíûé âõîä â çäàíèå Âåðõîâíîãî ñóäà Ðîññèè.
25.09.2003 Russia, Moscow.
The main entrance of the Supreme Court of Russia.
Photo: Valery Melnikov
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RF Supreme Court Forbids Bankrupting Media
December 23, The RF Supreme Court forbade appointing extreme compensation sums for libel publication, thereby preventing media bankruptcy. The corresponding norm is written in the decree “On damaging reputation of individuals and legal entities,” passed at the Supreme Court plenary session, RIA Novosti reports.
“I think it is wrong to bankrupt the media and stop its activities,” Chairman of Russia's Supreme Court Vyacheslav Lebedev said. The decree implies that the compensation sum be measurable to the damage and not restrict press freedom.
At the end of October, Moscow Arbitration Court obliged Kommersant Publishing House to pay 320.5 million rubles to Alfa Bank for damaging its reputation. The plaintiff states that after the article of July 7 “Banking Crisis Comes Out on the Street” the bank suffered loss of money and the clients trust.
Kommersant General Director Andrey Vasilyev said Alfa was trying to bankrupt Kommersant and promised to appeal the decision in court. He also added that the Bank would not be able to ruin the Publishing House, because its owner had enough means, and Kommersant’s yearly turnover was more than $50 million.
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