Lithuania on Tuesday refused a Russian request to shut down a pro-Chechen Web site that published a $20 million reward for assistance in the capture of Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying it cannot take action without a court order.

The service provider hosting kavkazcenter.com also refused to remove the site because it violates no laws in the Baltic country.

The Russian Foreign Ministry on Monday summoned Lithuania's ambassador, Rimantas Sidlauskas, and requested that Lithuania close the Chechen-oriented Web site, which is hosted by Elneta, an Internet service provider in Vilnius.

However, Lithuanian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mindaugas Lasas said Tuesday the site cannot be shut down before a ruling expected next year from the country's Constitutional Court. The case has been pending with the court since the Lithuanian State Security Department tried to suspend activities of the Chechen portal last year.

"Until the Constitutional court ruling, the Web site can operate freely from Lithuania," Lasas told The Associated Press.

Lithuania regained its independence during the 1991 Soviet collapse, and its relations with Moscow since then have sometimes been tense.

Source: Agencies