MOSCOW – The Kremlin today criticised German regulators for banning the German-language service of Russian state TV network RT, and the foreign ministry said reciprocal measures were imminent.
“The situation is absolutely obvious. A Russian media outlet, or rather an international media outlet, is banned from broadcasting in Germany,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
“This is nothing but an infringement on freedom of speech,” he added.
His remarks came after the Russian foreign ministry said that it would announce retaliatory measures later today without providing any details.
The ministry has said the measures will affect German media accredited in Russia and internet platforms that have deleted the channel, an apparent reference to YouTube.
Germany’s broadcasting regulator yesterday announced that it was banning transmission of the channel “RT DE” over the lack of a broadcasting licence.
The broadcaster was blocked from Europe’s satellite network on December 22 at the request of German authorities, less than a week after going on air, but was still available over the internet and via a mobile app.
In response to the earlier decision, RT DE said its suspension was “illegal” and the result of political pressure from Berlin, at a time of diplomatic tensions between Germany and Russia.
YouTube in December blocked a new RT channel after removing the network’s German channels RT DE and Der Fehlende Part earlier last year.
Launched in 2005 as “Russia Today”, state-funded RT has expanded with channels and websites in languages including English, French, Spanish and Arabic.
It has been accused by Western countries of distributing disinformation and Kremlin-friendly propaganda.
The channel has been banned in several countries, including the ex-Soviet republics of Lithuania and Latvia. – AFP, February 3, 2022
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