Russia's Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that Internet media outlets which refuse to remove reader comments when requested to do so by the federal media watchdog will be prosecuted.

No action will be taken if a comment that the watchdog considers to be an "abuse of media freedom" is removed or "expeditiously edited."

Vasily Nechayev, deputy chairman of the Supreme Court, said the ruling was "the first attempt to explain the responsibility of the Internet media" and the way it is regulated.

He added that an Internet outlet officially registered in Russia will be treated in court the same way as radio or television channels that broadcast live. Such media outlets will bear no responsibility for comments made by newsmakers live on the air.

He said, however, that unregistered outlets, for example, blogs, will be held liable for offensive, extremist, libelous or false information that they may post.

MOSCOW, June 15 (RIA Novosti)