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Anti-Russian sanctions

Latvia’s crackdown on Russian TV violates fundamental rights - human rights commissioner

“Latvia’s authorities ignore international human rights standards,” Commissioner for Human Rights, Democracy and the Supremacy of Law Konstantin Dolgov writes

© ITAR-TASS/Vladimir Sayapin

MOSCOW, April 07. /ITAR-TASS/. Latvia’s decision to suspend the re-broadcasting of Russia’s television channel Rossiya RTR violates the fundamental right to access to mass media, Russia’s Foreign Ministry human rights commissioner has said.

“One fool makes many. This is just another attempt to impose censorship,” Commissioner for Human Rights, Democracy and the Supremacy of Law Konstantin Dolgov wrote down in his Twitter microblog on Monday.

Read also

Latvia’s electronic media council imposes ban on re-broadcasting of Russia RTR TV channel

“Latvia’s authorities ignore international human rights standards,” he said.

“Latvia’s reaction to the UN Human Rights Committee recommendations proves this,” Dolgov said.

Earlier in the day, a decision by Latvia’s Council for Electronic Media that controls the activity of television and radio broadcasters to suspend Rossiya RTR broadcasting for three months came into effect.

The Council said the TV channel’s programmes contained information violating several articles of the law on electronic media.

The watchdog ruled that in some reports on the situation in Ukraine, Rossiya RTR presented biased information bearing signs of military propaganda.

The Council’s decision may be challenged in court.

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Sanctions vs. Russia

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