Latvia Begins Blocking Access To RT Russian Website First Time Since 2020 Broadcast Ban

Latvia has started blocking access to the website of RT Russian, following last year's decision by the National Electronic Mass Media Council (NEPLP) to ban rebroadcasting of seven of RT's TV channels in the country, marking the first case when Latvia blocked the banned channel's website, RT stated on Wednesday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 31st March, 2021) Latvia has started blocking access to the website of RT Russian, following last year's decision by the National Electronic Mass Media Council (NEPLP) to ban rebroadcasting of seven of RT's tv channels in the country, marking the first case when Latvia blocked the banned channel's website, RT stated on Wednesday.

The website is reportedly unavailable to users of several large internet providers in the country. When accessing RT Russia from Latvian territory through a browser, a message in Latvian and English languages pops up warning that the website is blocked due to "unlawfully distributing television programmes without a retransmission permit issued by the National Electronic Mass Media Council."

It also states that the NEPLP decided to restrict access to the site based on the digital media law as it contains banned content that "may violate copyright laws, as well as be hostile and directed against Latvia and its people."

This is the first such instance when providers are forced to block not only the rebroadcast of TV programs, but also block access to websites where Latvian citizens can gain access to the restricted content.

News portals of other banned Russian broadcasters might follow suit, RT stated.

In June 2020, Latvia banned broadcasts of seven of RT's channels, including RT, RT HD, RT Arabic, RT Spanish, RT Documentary HD, RT Documentary, RT TV, on the basis that they belong to the general director of Rossiya Segodnya news agency Dmitry Kiselev, who is on the EU sanctions list.

However, Rossiya Segodnya news agency and RT are separate legal entities, which is publicly available information. Editor-in-chief of RT is Margarita Simonyan, who is not subject to any EU sanctions. Russian Foreign Ministry has consistently condemned the ban on RT in Latvia as outrageous and violating the freedom of speech principles.

In 2019, Latvia banned broadcasting of nine other Russian TV channels.