Penza, 1 March 2016. PenzaNews. “VolgaInterMedia,” the founding body of PenzaNews agency, has updated its claims against the individual businessman Alexander Tuzov on recovery of compensation for illegal use of copyrighted work.

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The reference to the statement of claim, which has been received by the court on February 24 and by the defendant on February 25, now lists 74 facts of illegal use of photos instead of the previously mentioned 60, for the same expected compensation amount of 3 million rubles.

The preliminary court hearing on the case will be held in the Penza region Arbitration Court at 10.20 of Wednesday, March 2.

Ivan Malikov, president of “VolgaInterMedia,” told PenzaNews that he still have not received the written statement from the defender, even though the judge Svetlana Novikova recommended the latter to do so in her assessment on 8 February 2016.

“As for us, we provided all requested documents to the court, including notarized copies of website inspection protocols, copies of employment agreements with authors of the photos, the copyrighted works themselves in digital form, and a copy of certificate of trademark,” he explained.

Moreover, Ivan Malikov commented on regular online publications of untrustworthy information on the case that approaches a level of slander, by saying that “smart people are unlikely to pay attention to it.”

“The yelling intensifies as the court draws nearer,” he pointed out.

As PenzaNews reported earlier, in January 2016, “VolgaInterMedia” initiated a case in the Penza region Arbitration Court against the individual businessman Alexander Tuzov on recovery of compensation of 3 million rubles overall for illegal use of copyrighted photos on two websites.

The first preliminary court hearing took place on February 8. Even though the accused party had been addressed a hearing summons containing the date and time of the hearing, and a request of arbitration, neither he nor his representative appeared in the court.

At the same time, the complainant presented a package of documents in confirmation of illegal use of copyrighted work by the accused party.

As a result, the court decided to postpone the preliminary hearing to March 2.

Alexander Tuzov petitioned to familiarize with materials of the case.

On the evening of the same day, the PenzaNews editor-in-chief Pavel Polosion, who earlier suggested that Alexander Tuzov was likely to play victim, received a text message on his personal mobile phone with an offer to “settle the issue out of court.”

On February 15, the president of “VolgaInterMedia” Ivan Malikov met with Alexander Tuzov on the latter’s initiative, and offered him to settle the issue out of court for half the amount, with an option to pay it in installments; however, the Alexander Tuzov declined, saying he does not have the money.

On the next day, Ivan Malikov expressed an opinion that the failure of out-of-court settlement talks forced the administrator of “Alexander Tuzov’s Blog” to delete his LiveJournal account. The president of “VolgaInterMedia” said he welcomes the decision, although it will not help the blogger in question escape the liability.