MOSCOW, September 20 - RAPSI, Alyona Yegorova. Russian collection agencies appealed the court dismissal of their defamation lawsuit against the consumer protection watchdog (Rospotrebnadzor), the court told the Russian Legal Information Agency.

Rospotrebnadzor's head said on March 14 that collection agencies intimidate people, terrorize them on the telephone, and threaten them with various actions. He emphasized that all these activities are illegal.

The Collection Development Center sued Rospotrebnadzor for defamation, seeking a court order to force the watchdog to refute the allegations.

Meanwhile, the Moscow Commercial Court ruled against the plaintiff on August 10.

The claim was dismissed due to a lack of evidence, as Rospotrebnadzor's head neither made reference to the claimant nor criticized its activities.