Home > 1.3.1.1 Media > RUSSIAN FEDERATION - Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens to Participate in a Referendum
 
 
 
Download file    
 
 
Article 52
 
Article 52. Terms and Conditions of Election Campaigning, Referendum Campaigning Through Print Media
1. Editorial offices of state and municipal print media circulated on the territory on which an election, a referendum is conducted and published at least once a week shall provide space for propaganda materials provided by registered candidates, electoral associations, electoral blocs, referendum initiative group, other referendum participant groups. The minimum aggregate amount of such space, the availability of free space in print media, the ratio between print space provided by editorial offices free of charge and print space provided on a paid basis shall be established by law.
2. The editorial offices of state and municipal print media outlets published not less than once a week shall reserve space to be acquired on a paid basis for election campaigning, referendum campaigning. The rates and terms of payment shall be the same for all registered candidates, electoral associations, electoral blocs, referendum initiative group, other referendum participant groups. The total amount of space thus reserved shall be established by law. A registered candidate, electoral association, electoral bloc that nominated registered lists of candidates, referendum initiative group, other referendum participant group shall be entitled to paid space from the total amount of the reserved space within a part thereof calculated by dividing the total amount by the total number of registered candidates, the said electoral associations, electoral blocs, or by dividing the total amount by the number of groups entitled to referendum campaigning.
3. The provision of extra paid and free space in print media to electoral associations, electoral blocs that nominated registered candidates may be established by law.
4. Editorial offices of non-state print media that satisfied the requirements of Clause 6, Article 50 of this Federal Law, shall be entitled to refuse to provide space in print media for election campaigning, referendum campaigning.
5. Propaganda materials published in accordance with this article shall not be accompanied by any forms of editorial comment or by headlines and illustrations that are not agreed upon with the relevant candidate, electoral association, electoral bloc, referendum initiative group, another referendum participant group.
6. All propaganda materials placed in print media shall carry information about the candidate, electoral association, electoral bloc, group entitled to referendum campaigning from whose electoral or referendum fund the given publication was paid for. If propaganda materials were published free of charge, the publication shall indicate this fact and name of the entity that placed such material. The editorial office of a print media outlet shall bear the responsibility for the compliance with this requirement.
7. The editorial offices of print media which publish election propaganda materials, save the print media founded by candidates, electoral associations, shall not give preference to any candidate, electoral association, electoral bloc, referendum initiative group, another referendum participant group by changing the circulation and publication frequency of the print media.
8. Any other terms and conditions of election campaigning, referendum campaigning in print media shall be regulated by law.