On May 17 deputy of the Yekaterinburg Duma Maxim Petlin received
a notification from one of the district courts of Yekaterinburg
that Mayor Chernetsky filed a protest on the court decision
on the libel case (case No 2-134). Earlier the court had turned
down the libel suit by Mayor Chernetsky to Maxim Petlin and
television channel Russia which broadcasted Petlin’s critical
statement about the situation with kindergartens in the city.
The court also had charged the Mayor RUR 20,000 (about USD
700) for compensation of the legal costs incurred by Maxim
Petlin.
Chernetsky started a legal case against Petlin after the
latter said in the TV programme that Chernetsky had “sold
half of kindergartens buildings”. The Mayor stated that this
phrase a libel and motioned a libel case against Petlin. The
second defender in the court was the Russia television channel
which had broadcasted Petlin’s interview and showed an item
on alienation of large number of kindergartens in favour of
Chernetsky’s family members.
The decision of the court of the first instance stated that
“the plaintiff had singled out one phrase out of the context,
thus giving to the whole information a different meaning,
as in reality the television programme containing Maxim Petlin’s
interview provided true and accurate information on the deficit
of places in the children’s institutions of Yekaterinburg,
as well as his opinion on the possible causes of the problem,
including those not connected with the plaintiff”.
The trial in the regional court is scheduled on May 25, at
10 a.m.
See also:
Freedom
of Speech
The
leader of Sverdlovsk branch of YABLOKO wins the libel case
initiated by Yekaterinburg Mayor. Press Release, April 2,
2010
Ekaterinburg’s
Mayor suits the leader of the regional YABLOKO branch. Press
Release,
January 27, 2010
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