MOSCOW, November 9 (RAPSI, Lyudmila Klenko) – Representatives of an opposition-minded Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta had appealed against a court ruling demanding the media outlet to publish retractions with regard to the information and conclusions of an article alleging that a link existed between an expensive yacht and Rosneft oil company’s head Igor Sechin and his wife Olga Sechina, Yunona Tsareva, the Moscow Basmanny District Court spokeswoman, told RAPSI on Wednesday.

An appeal petition seeking to overturn the ruling in favor of Sechin had been submitted to the court, she said adding that no date had been set yet for the hearings.

Earlier, the Basmanny Court had granted a defamation lawsuit initiated by the Rosneft head against Novaya Gazeta and investigative journalist Roman Anin responsible for the article about the alleged connection.

The plaintiff’s representatives believe that the defendants disseminated implicit misrepresentations of the facts by linking Sechin and his wife with a luxurious yacht (including allegations that it was owned by one of the spouses), alleging the head of Rosneft did not declare some of his family properties and implying he lived beyond his means, what discredited Sechin’s honor, dignity, and business reputation and sullied his good name.