Moscow: Russian State Duma (lower house) today voted for amending the Press Law to allow the closure of media outlets for "libel and slander for inflicting moral damage".

The amendment was passed in the first reading by over 390 votes in the 450-strong house in the wake of a recent controversy generated by a tabloid report about outgoing president Vladimir Putin's alleged plans to wed a gymnast-turned-lawmaker, 25 years younger than him.

Ever since after issuing an abject apology the Moskovsky Korrespondent tabloid s editor-in-chief has resigned and the management has suspended its publication.

However, today's vote is only a first step in the long procedural route before the amendment is finally signed in to law by the president.

Challenging the amendment passed by the house dominated by Putin's United Russia party, a senior office bearer of the Union of Journalists has termed it as a "litmus test" of democracy in Russia.

"If this amendment is finally adopted, this would be a wonderful litmus test of democratism and professionalism of our parliament and as well as of our new president. Whoever turns down this amendment first would be better," Journalist Union Secretary Mikhail Fedotov was quoted as saying by RIA Novosti.

The amendment was proposed by the young United Russia lawmaker Robert Shlegel, who insisted that although the Press Law allows the closure of media outlets for systematical libel and slander, but the practice shows the courts generally don t do this.

Fedotov of Journalist's Union said that adoption of this amendment would be return to the Soviet penal code, which allowed to prosecute the dissidents for slander against the Soviet state and social system.

Source : PTI