Latvia bans remaining Russian channels
JUNE 7, 2022 08.50 EUROPE/LONDON BY CHRIS DZIADUL

The Latvian regulator NEPLP has banned the distribution of 80 Russian TV channels in the country.

It has also issued a licence to Dohzd (“Rain”) TV, an independent Russian TV channel closed in early March. The NEPLP’s decisions will come into effect on June 9 and will remain in place until the end of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Broadband TV News notes that Latvia initially banned three Russian channels – RTR, Rossiya 24 and TV Centr – on the first day of the invasion (February 24) on the grounds of national security.

It subsequently banned 18 channels owned directly or indirectly by Gazprombank in early March.