Latvia Bans Rossiya RTR TV Channel Due To Hate Speech Against Ukraine

The National Electronic Mass Media Council of Latvia (NEPLP) banned the broadcasting of the Rossiya RTR TV channel in the country for a year. The decision will come into force on 15 February, Chairman of the Board of NEPLP Ivars Āboliņš said.

“We have protected and will continue protecting our information space,” Āboliņš said.

In the summer of 2020, the Latvian National Council revealed incitement to hatred in the 60 Minutes programme on the Russian TV channel. In particular, the participants of the programme and its host Olga Skabeyeva called Ukraine a terrorist state and its former president Petro Poroshenko a terrorist. During the “discussion,” the host suggested sending in Russian troops to Ukraine to calm both parties to the conflict.

As a reminder, on 1 February, Latvia’s Tet telecommunications company decided to stop rebroadcasting of five Russian TV channels on the territory of the republic, namely: First Baltic Channel, NTV Mir, Ren TV Baltiya, Kinokomedia and Kinomix.

Natalia Tolub