The measure is intended to hinder access to media based in Russia, a move criticized for limiting freedom of information.
The Latvian media regulator announced this Monday that Ban all 80 Russian TV channels which can still be heard in the Baltic country, thus eliminating all re-transmissions from Moscow.
A spokesman for the National Council for Electronic Mass Media (NEPLP) has confirmed that all channels in Russia available through cable and digital services will be banned from next month. June 9, measure Does not affect Latvian channels broadcast in Russian Nor for the US-funded Russian-language channel “Current Time”.
According to Ivars Abolins, the president of the NEPLP, cited by local media, the ban is likely due to recent legal changes that allow the regulator to veto the re-broadcast of channels registered in countries that share the territorial integrity of another country. and jeopardize liberty. ,
This implies that, now, it is enough to veto a channel in Russia, while the previously announced prohibitions were justified by the fact that the channels in question glorified the war and incited ethnic hatred.
Several dozen Russian channels had to stop broadcasting in Latvia and other Baltic countries Invasin Rusa From Ukraine In late February, although some media had already been temporarily banned in recent years.
The NEPLP has also been given the power to block Internet pages deemed a threat to Latvia’s national security, although spokespersons were unable to say whether the measure would affect the websites of banned television channels.
The Union of Latvian Journalists criticized that Blocking web pages prevents free access to information Provided by different sides in the conflict.
Most prohibited channels also broadcast their programming through their Internet pages, so that their viewers can access their content in this way; Even in the event of a blockade they still have technical means to get around them, such as the use of virtual private networks (VPNs).
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