§ Article 56(untitled)

estrictions at Conduct of Election Campaigning, Referendum Campaigning
(as amended by the Federal Law of July 21, 2005, No.93-FZ)

 1. Election programs of candidates, election associations, other campaigning materials
(including those published in information-telecommunication networks with public unrestricted
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access, including Internet), presentations of candidates and their attorneys, representatives and
attorneys of election associations, representatives of referendum initiative group and other
referendum participants groups, citizens at public events, in mass media (including those
published in information-telecommunication networks with public unrestricted access, including
Internet), shall not contain any calls for performing of actions determined in Article 1 of the
Federal Law of July 25, 2002, No.114-FZ “On Countering Extremist Activity” (hereinafter – the
Federal Law “On Countering Extremist Activity”) as extremist activity, or otherwise encourage to
such actions, as well as substantiate or justify extremism. Campaigning exciting social, racial,
ethnic or religious discord, humiliating national dignity, promulgating exclusiveness, superiority
or inferiority of citizens on grounds of their relation to religion, social, racial, national, religious or
language identity, as well as campaigning that includes promulgation and public demonstration
of Nazi symbols or attributes or symbols or attributes similar to Nazi symbols or attributes to the
extent of their confusion shall be prohibited. If campaigning is aimed at defense of ideas of
social justice, it shall not be considered as campaigning exciting social discord.
(as amended by the Federal Laws of December 5, 2006, No.225-FZ, of July 11, 2011, No.200-
FZ)

 11 During election campaigning, referendum questions campaigning abuse of freedom
of mass information in forms, other than stipulated by Clause 1 of this Article is not allowed.
Campaigning that breaches the legislation of the Russian Federation on intellectual property
shall be prohibited.
(Clause 11 introduced by the Federal Law of December 5, 2006, No.225-FZ)

 2. Candidates, election associations, their attorneys and authorized representatives,
referendum initiative group, other referendum participants groups and their authorized
representatives as well as other persons and organizations engaged in election campaigning,
referendum questions 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, referendum participants who performed the said organizational
work depending on the voting results 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 election campaign, referendum campaign; provide
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 voting results) or by providing
services other than on the basis of decisions of bodies of state power or local self-government
taken in accordance with the law.
(as amended by the Federal Law of July 21, 2005, No.93-FZ)

 3. During the period of election campaign, referendum campaign no lotteries or other
risk-based games shall be allowed, if the award of prize or participation in prize drawing
depends on voting results, results of elections, referendum, or otherwise connected to
elections, referendum.
(Clause 3 as amended by the Federal Law of July 21, 2005, No.93-FZ)

 4. In the course of election campaign, referendum campaign, payment for any
commercial advertising or advertising that is not related to elections, referendum with the use of
surname or picture of candidate, member or authorized representative of referendum initiative
group, other referendum participants group, as well as advertising with the use of name, logo,
other symbols of election association that nominated candidate, list of candidates during the
period of election campaign, referendum campaign shall be made solely out of funds of
corresponding electoral fund, referendum fund. On the voting day and on the day preceding the
voting day such advertising, including advertising paid out of funds of corresponding electoral
fund, referendum fund is not allowed.
(Clause 4 as amended by the Federal Law of July 21, 2005, No.93-FZ)
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 5. Candidates, election associations that nominated candidates, lists of candidates, their
attorneys and authorized representatives, members and authorized representatives of
referendum initiative group and other referendum participants groups, as well as organizations
registered after the commencement of election campaign, referendum campaign, founders,
owners, proprietors and (or) members of managing bodies of which (in organizations where
high management body is a meeting – members of bodies governing activities of such
organizations) are the said persons and (or) organizations, during election campaigning,
referendum campaigning are not allowed to carry out charity activities. Other physical and legal
entities during the period of election campaign, referendum campaign are not allowed to carry
out charity activities at the request, on instructions and on behalf of candidates, election
associations, their attorneys and authorized representatives, members and authorized
representatives of referendum initiative group and other referendum participant groups, as well
as to carry out election campaigning, referendum questions campaigning together with charity
activities. Candidates, election associations, their attorneys and authorized representatives,
members and authorized representatives of referendum initiative group and other referendum
participants groups are not allowed to apply to other physical and legal entities with proposals
on provision of financial support or services to voters, referendum participants.
(Clause 5 as amended by the Federal Law of July 21, 2005, No.93-FZ)

 51 Campaigning materials must not contain commercial advertising.
(Clause 51 introduced by the Federal Law of December 5, 2006, No.225-FZ)

 52 Registered candidate, election association is not allowed to use air time on the
channels of TV broadcasting organization provided to them for distribution of campaigning
materials for the purpose of:
 a) calls to vote against candidate, candidates, list of candidates, lists of candidates;
 b) description of possible negative consequences in case this or that candidate will be
elected, this or that list of candidates will be admitted to distribution of deputy seats;
 c) distribution of information with obvious predominance of facts on certain candidate
(candidates), election association in combination with negative comments;
 d) distribution of information promoting creation of negative attitude of voters towards
candidate, election association that nominated candidate, list of candidates.
(Clause 52 introduced by the Federal Law of December 5, 2006, No.225-FZ)

 6. If mass media organizations published any campaigning and advertising materials
(including those that contain correct information) that may damage honor, dignity or business
reputation of a candidate, business reputation of election association, shall provide
corresponding candidate, election association a possibility to publish a refutation or other
explanation till the end of campaigning period in defense of their honor, dignity or business
reputation. Candidate, election association shall be provided with air time to make such
refutation or other explanation public at the same time of the day when initial information was
made public, and its amount shall not be less than amount of air time provided for making
public of initial information, but not less than two minutes. While publication of this refutation or
another explanation its text shall be printed in the same font, placed on the same part of the
page and its volume shall be not less than the refuted text. The failure to provide candidate,
election association with a possibility to publish (make public) such refutation or another
explanation till the end of campaigning period shall constitute the ground for bringing such
mass media organizations and their officials to responsibility under the legislation of the
Russian Federation. Requirements established by the Clause shall not be applied to cases of
publication of advertising materials provided by registered candidates, election associations
within the frames of their use of free and paid air time, free and paid print space in accordance
with this Federal Law.
(Clause 6 as amended by the Federal Law of July 21, 2005, No.93-FZ)
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 7. Commissions shall monitor compliance with the established procedure for conducting
election campaigning, referendum campaigning and take measures to remove committed
violations.
(as amended by the Federal Law of July 21, 2005, No.93-FZ)

 8. In case of distribution of forged printed, audio-visual and other campaigning
materials, distribution of printed, audio-visual and other campaigning materials with violation of
requirements of Clauses 2-6, 8 and 10, Article 54 of this Federal Law, as well as in case of
violation by TV and radio broadcasting organization, editorial board of print periodical of the
procedure of conduct of election campaigning, referendum question campaigning established
by this Federal Law, correspondent commission shall apply to law enforcement authorities,
courts, bodies of executive power in charge of supervision and control over mass media with
application to prevent unlawful campaigning activities and bringing the TV and radio
broadcasting organization, editorial boards of print periodicals, their officials, other persons to
responsibility in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation.
(Clause 8 as amended by the Federal Law of July 21, 2005, No.93-FZ)

 9. Law enforcement and other authorities shall take measures to stop unlawful
campaigning activities, prevent production of and seize false and unlawful printed, audio-visual
and other campaigning materials, identify the producers of such materials and the source from
which they are paid for and promptly inform corresponding election commission, referendum
commission about the facts established and measures taken.

 Chapter VIII. FUNDING OF ELECTIONS AND REFERENDUM