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Article 56
 
Article 56. Inadmissibility of Misuse of the Right to Election Campaigning, Referendum Campaigning
1. Misuse of the freedom of mass information in election campaigning, referendum campaigning shall not be allowed. Election programs of candidates, electoral associations, electoral blocs, speeches of candidates or their agents, representatives of electoral associations, electoral blocs, referendum initiative group, other referendum participant groups, other propaganda materials shall not contain calls for forcible seizure of power, violent change of the constitutional system and violation of the integrity of the Russian Federation, warmongering. Propaganda exciting social, racial, ethnic, religious hatred or enmity, misuse of the freedom of mass information in other forms defined by the legislation of the Russian Federation shall be prohibited. Propaganda shall not be regarded as fomenting social discord if it is aimed at the defense of the ideas of social justice.
2. Candidates, electoral associations, electoral blocs, their authorized representatives, referendum initiative group, other referendum participant groups and their authorized representatives as well as other persons and organizations involved in election campaigning, referendum campaigning shall not bribe voters, referendum participants: they shall not give them money, gifts and other things of value otherwise than for the performance of organizational work (collection of signatures of voters, referendum participants, campaigning activities); remunerate voters, who perform the said organizational work, depending on the vote returns or promise such remuneration; sell goods at reduced prices; distribute free of charge any goods other than printed materials (including illustrated booklets) and badges specially produced for the election campaign, referendum campaign; render services free of charge or at reduced rates, or influence voters by promises of money, securities, other things of value (in particular, depending on the vote returns) or by rendering services other than on the basis of decisions of bodies of state power or local self-government taken in accordance with the law.
3. In the period of an election campaign, referendum campaign, the election, the referendum and their results shall not be an object of lotteries, totalizators (pari mutiel), and other risk-based games.
4. In the course of an election campaign, a referendum campaign, any commercial advertising or advertising of any activity of candidates, electoral associations, their agents and authorized representatives, public associations comprised in electoral blocs, authorized representatives of electoral blocs, members and authorized representatives of the referendum initiative group or other referendum participant groups that is not related to the election, referendum, or any advertising involving the use of names or images of the above persons, payment for advertisements by organizations of which the above persons or entities are founders, owners, proprietors and/or members of their leading bodies shall be paid for only from the relevant electoral fund, referendum fund. Publication of such advertisements shall not be allowed on voting day and on the day preceding voting day.
5. Candidates, electoral associations, electoral blocs which nominated candidates, their authorized representatives and agents, public associations comprised in electoral blocs that carried out relevant nominations or registrations, members or authorized representatives of a referendum initiative group or other referendum participant groups, as well as organizations registered after the commencement of an election campaign, which have been founded, are owned or possessed by such natural persons and organizations and/or in which such natural persons or organizations are members of their leading bodies shall not engage in any charity activities in the course of the election campaign, the referendum campaign. In the course of an election campaign, a referendum campaign, other natural persons and legal entities shall not engage in any charity activities at the request, on the instructions or on behalf of candidates, electoral associations, electoral blocs, their agents or authorized representatives, public associations comprised in electoral blocs, members or authorized representatives of a referendum initiative group, other referendum participant groups, and shall not conduct election campaigning, referendum campaigning simultaneously with the pursuance of charity activities. Such candidates, electoral associations, electoral blocs, their agents or authorized representatives, public associations comprised in electoral blocs, members or authorized representatives of a referendum initiative group, other referendum participant groups shall be prohibited from asking other natural persons or legal entities to render material (in-kind) or financial assistance or services to voters, referendum participants or organizations located on the territory of a relevant electoral district, referendum territory.
6. Mass media organizations shall not make public (publish) propaganda and informational materials (including such materials that contain true information) which may damage the honor, dignity or business reputation of a candidate, if these organizations cannot provide a possibility to the candidate to make public (publish) a denial or some other explanation in defense of his honor, dignity or business reputation before the end of the campaigning period. When a possibility is provided to the candidate to publish (make public) free of charge a denial or some other explanation in defense of his honor, dignity or business reputation, the air time shall be provided at the same time of the day at which the original information was made public, and the amount of this air time shall not be less than the amount of air time provided for presentation of the original information and, in any case, not less than two minutes, and if space in print media is provided, such denial shall be printed in the same type, in the same place on the page and shall be allocated space not less than the space taken up by the original compromising text. The failure to provide such possibility to a candidate before the end of the campaigning period shall constitute grounds for bringing such mass media organizations and their officials to responsibility under the legislation of the Russian Federation. The rules established by this clause shall not apply to the editorial offices of non-state print media outlets founded by candidates, electoral associations.
7. Commissions shall oversee compliance with the established procedure for conducting election campaigning, referendum campaigning.
8. Should a TV and radio broadcasting organization, the editorial office of a print media outlet violate the election campaigning, referendum campaigning rules laid down by this Federal Law, a relevant election commission may apply to law enforcement authorities, courts, bodies of executive power which implement the state policy vis-à-vis the mass media for stopping the unlawful propaganda activities and bringing the TV and radio broadcasting organization, editorial office of the print media outlet, their officials to responsibility under the legislation of the Russian Federation.
9. Law enforcement and other authorities shall take measures to stop unlawful propaganda activities, prevent production of and seize false and unlawful printed, audio-visual and other propaganda materials, identify the producers of such materials and the source from which they are paid for and promptly inform a relevant election commission, referendum commission about the facts established and measures taken.