“Pressball” newspaper sued for a post on its website’s forum

Staff of “Sportivnaya Panorama”, a press organ of the Ministry of Sport, has appealed the Tsentralny District Court of Minsk.

Article “A Billon Need to be Earned to be Stolen” in “Pressball” suitors I. Chumakova and A. Bitsan were insulted with a phrase: “Why “fat cats” from this fed organ of the Ministry of Sport, who were given billions from our budget, don’t not even breath down neck of us, “dog of democracy”, but just sniff?”

The suitors demand that “Pressball” must pay 50 mln rubles (25 mln to each suitor) to compensate for moral damage.

They added new demands to the suit at trial in the Tsentralny District Court.

This time, suitors were insulted by a reaction of visitors of forum of “Pressball”.

In their view, posting information on the website of the defendant is spreading of mass information, that’s why it falls under the Law on Press and Other Mass Media.

The suitors want 10 mln rubles (5 mln each) for offence on the forum.

They Tsentralny District Court of Minsk dismissed the both parts of the claim.

The suitor filed a cassation appeal to the Minsk City Court. The trial took place on January 15, most time was devoted to the internet-suit. It was decided to review the case, “Pressball” reports. A special article covers this theme in the today’s issue of the newspaper.