Volgograd Regional Court upholds journalists' right to work in City Duma without accreditation

On August 12 the Volgograd Regional Court dismissed the cassation, which was filed by Anatoly Antontsev, Chairman of the City Duma of Mikhailovka, concerning the decision on the lawsuit against him, lodged by the journalists of the local newspaper "Novoe Vremya" (New Time).

Earlier, the "Caucasian Knot" reported that on March 23, 2011, Anatoly Antontsev excluded the newspaper's correspondents from the open session of the City Duma. The journalists considered that Anatoly Antontsev's actions had violated several federal laws at once.

The Chairman of the City Duma responded that, in accordance with the City Duma's regulations, only accredited representatives of the accredited media could be admitted to the open session. Earlier, Anatoly Antontsev told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that "the leadership of the newspaper had been repeatedly recommended to accredit a newspaper's journalist in the City Duma; however, they failed to do it". In the court, the defendant's side argued in favour of Anatoly Antontsev's rightness: according to the defence, the City Duma's session room had not enough places to admit everybody.

At present, the plaintiffs intend to resolve through the court the issue of compensation for moral damage, which was caused, according to them, by Antontsev's actions. Furthermore, they are going to appeal to the prosecutor's office, demanding to examine the conformity of the Regulations of the City Duma of Mikhailovka to the federal information law, the reports the Centre for Protection of Media Rights reports.