18 May 2011, 22:50
In Astrakhan, court fines journalist for critical article about city mayor
On May 16, the Sovietskiy District Court of Astrakhan put a full stop in considering the lawsuit filed by the Mayor of Astrakhan Sergey Bozhenov on protection of their honour and dignity and compensation of his moral harm against the newspaper named "Revival of the State". The court ruled to fine Vladimir Anikin, the paper's founder and editor, by 10,000 roubles.
Initially, the claimant asked for 100,000 roubles.
The article, which became the subject of the lawsuit and which was published in the newspaper, described the work of the official and compared the current mayor of Astrakhan with recently sacked Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov, as Elena Grebenyuk, an Astrakhan blogger and civil activist told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.
Gulzhamilya Uspanova, assistant of the Chair of the Court of the Sovietskiy District of the Astrakhan Region, has reported that the parties in litigation may appeal against the verdict within 10 days. Vladimir Anikin has already announced his intention to do it, saying that he would go for help to the Glasnost Defence Foundation, headed by Alexei Simonov.
Author: Dmitry Florin Source: CK correspondent
