mass media

Introduction. In the light of modern challenges and threats that Russia faces, ensuring the national security of the Russian state is a priority area of the country’s development. Elections are a strategic socio-political and legal institution that contributes to both the implementation of democratic mechanisms of the state and determination of its political course.

The given article explores the history of emergence of the statement of inadmissibility of censorship first in laws of the press and mass media and later in the Constitution of the Russian Federation. Comparative analysis of prohibition of censorship in the constitutions of 12 countries formed within post soviet territory has been carried out. Prohibition of censorship is considered to be a guarantee of freedom of thought and speech, freedom of expression and belief, and a right of collection and dissemination of information.