16:28, 23 September 2003

Chechen media editors are to pay 2,000-ruble fine for publications of report on Beslan Gantamirov's press conference

On September 18 the Leninsky District Court of Grozny began to try an administrative case against the republican "Vesti Respubliki" and "Molodyozhnaya Smena" newspapers, which are charged with the infringement of election agitation rules. In August 2003 these newspapers published a report on a press conference of Bislan Gantamirov, who was Chechen minister for press, TV and radio broadcasting, and mass media at that time. This report, in the plaintiff's opinion, held agitation against Akhmad Kadyrov, who had not yet been registered as a presidential contender at that moment. "Vesti Respubliki" Editor-in-Chief Magomet Khodjiyev and "Molodyozhnaya Smena" Editor-in-Chief Ramzan Gutsiyev are fined, 2,000 rubles each.