Latvia has banned all TV channels in Russia

The National Electronic Media Council of Latvia has imposed a ban on the broadcasting of the last 80 TV channels from Russia that can still be watched on the country’s territory. This was reported on June 6 by Delfi.

The decision was made taking into account the new legislative norm, which stipulates that programs registered in one country that threaten the independence and territorial integrity of another country cannot operate in Latvia.

The ban will take effect on June 9 and will remain in effect until Russia ends the war against Ukraine and restores annexed Crimea.

The ban, in particular, includes E TV, Illusion+, Kino24, Mir TV, Hunting and Fishing, Pepper, Russian Illusion.

The decision to block Russian channels in Latvia, including entertainment, was made in early March, but Global Media, which relays them, has filed a lawsuit.

On April 29, the Administrative Court reinstated Russian TV channels THT – Comedy, TNT4 International, Pyatnitsa, KHL TV Channel and TNT Music on air in Latvia.

The court explained its decision by the fact that the council could not argue how entertainment channels threaten the country’s state security.

This decision was appealed to the highest court, and on May 26, Saeima of Latvia adopted the amendments to the law in final reading. About electronic mediawhich gives the National Council the power to restrict foreign programs if they are released to countries that threaten the sovereignty of other countries.

It will be recalled that in April the Latvian Seimas unanimously recognized Russia’s war crimes in Ukraine as genocide.