Getting your player ready...
MOSCOW — Russia’s new president urged parliament Monday to scrap a bill widely seen as restrictive to the media.
In a letter to the lower house of parliament, President Dmitry Medvedev criticized the proposed legislation and warned that it could hurt media freedom.The bill allows authorities to suspend and close down media outlets for libel and slander.
It was not immediately clear whether Medvedev’s move signaled his intention to take a more liberal course compared with his predecessor and mentor, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. But it followed up on campaign promises to give more freedom to businesses, civil society and media.
