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No concern for situation with journalists in Latvia expressed by Borrell, diplomat says

In early December 2020, the Latvian State Security Service detained several Russian-language journalists over suspicions of violation of international sanctions

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs/TASS

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova

© Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs/TASS

MOSCOW, February 5. /TASS/. EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell hasn’t expressed concern regarding Latvia’s actions towards Russian-language journalists, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova noted.

"No ‘deep concern’ for human rights, the freedom of speech. It is not even mentioned," she wrote on her Facebook page on Friday.

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Major Russian union goes to bat for reporters detained in Latvia calling for their release

"That’s how we will respond to all their complaints: 'Rest assured that we will conduct an investigation in accordance with the principle of legality and with respect to basic rights and freedoms of a citizen," she added.

On Friday, the EU High representative at a press conference after his meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov expressed confidence that Latvia’s legal system will sort out the situation with the Russian-language journalists in accordance with legal principles of the EU.

In early December 2020, the Latvian State Security Service detained several Russian-language journalists. Among them were former editor-in-chief of the Baltnews.lv web portal Andrei Yakovlev, journalists Andrei Solopenko and Alla Berezovskaya, who cooperated with this media outlet, as well as publicist, human rights activist and public figure Vladimir Linderman. Later, all detainees were released with their travel restricted. The Latvian State Security Service reported that its actions were sanctioned by a court due to suspicions of violation of international sanctions and were within the framework of a criminal case that was opened earlier.

Since February 1, Latvia’s Tet telecommunications company stopped broadcasting Russian TV channels PBC, NTV World, Ren TV Baltiya, Kinokomediya and Kinomiks. This decision was caused by apprehensions over possible violation of the sanctions regime. The company pointed out that these TV channels in Latvia are distributed by TEM LV, one of the companies of the Baltijas mediju alianse media holding, which was earlier charged with violation of international sanctions.

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