Russia clarifies media laws on journalism, online content

The European Audiovisual Observatory, part of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, has just reported on brand new media developments in Russia: the adoption of the Resolution of the Russian Supreme Court entitled "On Judicial Practice Related to the Statute of the Russian Federation "On the Mass Media" of Tuesday 15 June 2010. Prior to this date, the main legal text governing the media in Russia was the Statute of the Russian Federation "On the Mass Media". Russian courts did not dispose of any guidelines as to how to interpret this text. Last Tuesday's decision by the Russian Supreme Court gives the courts proper orientation when applying the Statute. The practical implications of this new text are enormous. For the first time, the Resolution lays down concrete details of journalistic privileges in gathering and reporting news and also guarantees certain degrees of freedom to the online media. For example, the guidance provided by the Resolution means that the media in Russia will henceforth enjoy greater freedom in reporting on the contents of election campaigns. The Resolution also stipulates explicitly that reporting on the private life of an individual can be condoned in legal terms if it is done in a way that is "necessary to protect the public interest."