Ukraine invasion: Latvia bans three Russian TV channels

Latvia has banned three Russian TV channels in the Baltic country, as they were a "threat to national security," in the backdrop of Russia’s Ukraine invasion.

 

Latvia's regulator National Electronic Mass Media Council (NEMMC) has informed that “these channels represent a threat to Latvia's security and have been banned accordingly. It may be recalled that 41 other Russian channels were taken off the air during the past five years.

 

NEMMC has informed that it has imposed a ban on Russian state broadcaster Rossiya RTR, Rossiya 24, and the TV Centre International(TVCI). NEPLP leader Ivars Abolins told the news agency AFP that the decision was taken based on Latvian law and the EU Audiovisual Directive.

 

Latvia, previously ruled by the Soviet, has a considerable ethnic Russian community. The country, which joined NATO and the EU in 2004, has a population of 1.9 million people. NEMMC has requested all EU countries to use the proof “gathered by the NEMMC and to follow Latvia's example by restricting the retransmission of these programmes".

 

He said that the ban has taken effect and will be approved later by the European Commission.