Russia bloggers fear for freedom
By Olesya Dmitracova
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian officials are using grey areas in the law to clamp down on Internet news sites in what campaigners fear could signal an attack on one of the few media outside the control of the Kremlin and its supporters.
A loophole in the law allows authorities to treat Web sites as fully fledged publications - with all the responsibilities that go with that status - and then use these requirements to take court action against them.
Two local Web sites have been punished for failing to register as media outlets. Thousands of other sites are unaffected but many in the Internet community say the court actions could be the start of a trend.
