Latvia's Media Watchdog Bans Rebroadcasting Of Another 16 Russian TV Channels

The National Electronic Mass Media Council of Latvia (NEPLP) on Tuesday decided to ban rebroadcasting of another 16 Russian TV channels, the council's head, Ivars Abolins, said

RIGA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 09th February, 2021) The National Electronic Mass Media Council of Latvia (NEPLP) on Tuesday decided to ban rebroadcasting of another 16 Russian tv channels, the council's head, Ivars Abolins, said.

On Monday, the NEPLP barred the rebroadcasting of the Russian channel in the republic for a year. The new ban includes channels like REN TV Baltic, NTV Mir Baltic, Karusel International and others. According to the country's media law, in order for a channel to get rebroadcast, media or their representatives should file a request with the NEPLP to add the channel to the list of rebroadcast channels, provide documents confirming the right of an owner or a representative to broadcast such channel. The media watchdog claims it did not receive such information.

"The National Electronic Mass Media Council of Latvia (NEPLP) on Tuesday decided to ban rebroadcasting of 16 channels in Latvia," Abolins tweeted.

In a statement, issued by the media watchdog, Abolins said that the NEPLP would check all programs in the rebroadcasting list and if it finds similar cases it will act accordingly.

The authorities of the Baltic countries have repeatedly obstructed the work of the Russian media. The Russian Foreign Ministry announced clear signs of a coordinated line of these states. According to the ministry, cases of harassment of the media in the Baltic states "clearly demonstrate what demagogic statements about the adherence of Vilnius, Riga and Tallinn to the principles of democracy and freedom of speech are worth in practice."