MINSK, November 30. /TASS/. The Kremlin regards the decision to strip Russia’s RT television channel of its press accreditation at the US Congress as an unfriendly step and a violation of freedom of speech and press freedom, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Thursday.
"I would like to say that the decision by US senators and congressmen to strip RT of its press accreditation is an extremely disappointing and wrong decision violating the principles of press freedom and freedom of speech," Peskov said, noting that the issue concerns not just the RT American branch, but the entire holding as well.
According to the Kremlin spokesman, all that is nothing but an attempt to restrict the work of a media outlet, "this is a very unfriendly step, we are deeply disappointed." "We hope that this low point in the American history will sooner or later end with the restoration of democratic freedoms," he stressed.
The Kremlin expects a rather emotional reaction from the Russian parliament for revoking the press credentials of the RT television channel by the US Congress, as such hostile acts cannot be left without a response, Peskov said.
"The situation is bad," he said. "One does not have to be a seer to predict a rather emotional response from our lawmakers regarding American news outlets," the Kremlin spokesman said. He noted that "the issue is not about tit-for-tat measures," but "in this situation, it is difficult and impossible to leave such hostile and non-democratic decisions without a response."
That said, he did not say what specific actions the Russian parliament might take.
On Wednesday, Radio and Television Correspondents’ Association (RTCA) Chairperson Craig Caplan said that RT’s Capitol Hill credentials had been rescinded. He stressed that this particular decision was taken on November 21 after a unanimous vote in the committee because the T&R Productions, LLC (T&R) company that services the RT American branch is registered as a foreign agent in the US.