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Meduza’s statement regarding the revocation of TV Rain’s Latvian broadcasting license

Source: Meduza
Прочитайте это заявление по-русски. Lasiet šo iesniegumu latviski

The Latvian National Electronic Media Council has revoked TV Rain’s license. The agency has banned the network from broadcasting on cable and also plans to block access within the country to its YouTube stream. According to the council’s chairman, Ivars Āboliņš, the decision was made “in connection with the threat to national security and public order.”

We are watching these developments very carefully and with concern.

In the eight years that Meduza has already spent in Latvia, the local authorities have never once attempted to interfere in our editorial policies. We are grateful for this hospitality. We have had no reason to doubt that Latvia, which has become a second home for many here at Meduza, is aware of the vital role that the independent media plays in democratic societies.

After February 24, Latvia welcomed journalists from Russia who risked many years in prison for doing their jobs and resisting the war Russia unleashed on Ukraine. We greatly appreciated the Latvian authorities’ decision, understanding how difficult it was, given the enduring pain this country’s people still experience from Soviet occupation.

At the same time, we recognized that a mass influx of journalists from Russia in wartime conditions would likely lead to conflicts. After all, the news media created by Russians is almost always focused on Russian problems, viewing the surrounding world through this same lens. This often confuses and sometimes enrages foreign audiences, especially during a war for which Russia bears full responsibility.

Unfortunately, the situation has developed very poorly. We believe that the decision by Latvia’s National Electronic Media Council to revoke TV Rain’s license is unfair, wrong, and disproportionate to the official violations flagged by the agency.

Arguments that these violations pose a “national security threat” are unconvincing. The network’s antiwar position is obvious, as is its critical stance towards the Putin regime. TV Rain’s significance in countering Russian state propaganda is colossal. Roaring about “national security” conceals what is actually a heavy blow to free speech and ultimately to European security, as well. There can be no democracy without the independent media, above all, and an undemocratic Russia will remain a threat to its neighbors and the entire world.

Even if it was reached completely legally, the National Electronic Media Council’s decision is also an incredible gift to the Russian authorities. By banning TV Rain, Latvian officials are helping the Kremlin with something it started: the complete destruction of the Russian independent media’s infrastructure. We believe the political situation in Russia will not change if the country’s inhabitants are abandoned to propaganda. (There’s also the risk that this propaganda becomes the only information source for Russian-speaking EU citizens.)

And it’s important to remember that TV Rain is one of the few truly independent media outlets that retains a large audience inside Russia. Viewers need TV Rain. The anti-war movement needs TV Rain. Watch any of its newscasts, and you’ll see the network’s position on this repulsive war and how it views those who illegally usurped power in Russia.

Were TV Rain’s journalists wrong? Was their wording inaccurate? Yes. But all media outlets, including the highest quality publications, make mistakes, even at critical moments. In times of war, forced emigration, and polarized public opinion, the likelihood of mistakes sadly only grows. Readers and viewers, as well as fellow colleagues, evaluate our reporting, too, and these assessments can be brutal.

Journalism knows no boundaries. Free speech is a universal value, but it’s nothing if we don’t defend it and fight for it, every day, wherever we are.

We stand in solidarity with the team at TV Rain. Dear colleagues, we hope you’ll persevere, and we’ll do our best to help you through this crisis.

Meduza invites other journalists and media outlets to support this statement. If you’d like to do so, please contact us here: [email protected].

This statement has been signed by

  • the editors of Meduza
  • the editors of Novaya Gazeta Europe
  • Sabīne Sīle, editor-in-chief, Media Hub Riga
  • the editors of Bumaga
  • the editors of Provereno
  • the editors of Novaya Vkladka
  • Irina Malkova and Pyotr Mironenko, The Bell
  • the editors of Kit
  • the editors of Signal
  • the editors of Samizdatonline.org
  • the editors of Pskovskaya Gubernia
  • the editors of Sirena
  • the editors of Proekt
  • the editors of Dovod
  • the editors of DOXA
  • the media project Stradayuschee Srednevekovye
  • the editors of Mediazona
  • the editors of iStories
  • the editors of OVD-Info
  • the editors of Avtozak Live
  • Konstantin Sonin, economist
  • Nikolay Ovchinnikov, journalist; editor-in-chief, Volna | Latvia
  • vandrouki.ru, a travel company
  • the editors of Svobodnye Media
  • the Telegram channel Russian Refugees in Germany
  • Victor Shenderovich, writer
  • Stanislav Kucher, journalist
  • the editors of Rezonans, a Vladimir-based Internet publication
  • Valeriy Panyushkin, editor-in-chief, Spektr magazine
  • the Student Anti-War Movement project
  • Konstantin Gorozhanko, editor, Grazhdane Gdovskogo Kraya
  • the editors of Vot Tak
  • the editors of SOTA
  • Ilya Azar, journalist
  • the editors of Verstka
  • the editors of Republic
  • the podcast studio Libo/Libo
  • the editors of 7x7 — Horizontal Russia
  • the editors of Kholod
  • the editors of Astra
  • Ilya Krasilshchik, Alexander Polivanov, Igor Safonov, and other journalists at Sluzhba Podderzhki
  • the editors of Spektr
  • Mikhail Zygar, writer and journalist
  • Olga Churakova, journalist
  • Liza Surganova, journalist
  • Ilya Shepelin, journalist
  • the editors of Echo
  • the editors of RusNews
  • the editors of Pereulki Lissabona
  • the editors of Skat Media
  • Arkady Mayofis, founder of TV-2 (Israel)
  • Emil Khalikov, co-founder of Pogulyanka media (Lithuania)
  • the editors of Cherty
  • the Opyt Svobody project
  • Lev Ponomaryov, human rights advocate, and the Telegram channel World Progress and Human Rights
  • the editors of Perm 36.6
  • the editors of Perito
  • Mine gåter og spindelsinn, a Telegram channel
  • the editors of Khroniki.Media
  • the editors of Daptar
  • the editors of The Vyshka
  • the editors of Media Loft
  • the youth democratic movement Vesna
  • the editors of Groza
  • Mikhail Svetov and the editors of SVTV News
  • the editors of Pezduza
  • Talking Heads YouTube channel (Latvia)
  • the editors of Advocacy Street
  • the editors of Lyudi Baykala
  • the editors of Otkrytyi Gorod (Latvia)
  • the editors of February 24 Eyewitnesses
  • the editors of Govorit ne Moskva
  • the editors of It’s My City
  • the editors of The Guide to the Free World
  • the editors of The Insider and Roman Dobrokhotov, journalist
  • Yevgenia Albats, editor-in-chief, The New Times
  • the editors of The Moscow Times
  • Kirill Rogov, political scientist
  • Irina Shikhman and the YouTube channel A Pogovorit?
  • the editors of Re:Russia
  • Conflict Intelligence Team
  • the editors of Prodolzhenie Sleduet
  • the editors of Novaya Gazeta — Baltia
  • Ksenia Larina, journalist
  • the editors of The Village and Kirill Rukov, editor-in-chief
  • the editors of Fergana.ru
  • Maxim Katz, blogger and politician
  • the editors of Khronika Turkmenistana
  • Navalny LIVE YouTube channel
  • Jean-Michel Shcherbak, media activist
  • Ishchem Vykhod YouTube channel
  • Alexander Plyushchev, journalist
  • Tatyana Felgenhauer, journalist
  • Vitaly Mansky, film director
  • Natalia Manskaya, film producer
  • the editors of Poligon.Media
  • Khodorkovsky LIVE YouTube channel
  • Ilya Rozhdestvensky, journalist
  • Ivan Pavlov, lawyer
  • Ilya Zhegulev, journalist
  • the editors of Fourth Sector
  • Ilya Shumanov, director, Transparency International Russia
  • Andrei Loshak, journalist
  • Nataliya Gevorkyan, journalist
  • the editors of ROMB
  • the editors of Taiga.info
  • the editors of Popular Politics
  • Roskomsvoboda, an advocacy organization
  • Chulpan Khamatova, actress
  • Antero Mukka, editor-in-chief, and the editors of Helsingin Sanomat (Finland)
  • the editors of Krautreporter (Germany)
  • Pervyi Otdel, an association of attorneys and rights activists
  • the editors of Agentura.ru
  • Masha Phillimore-Slonim, journalist
  • Kovcheg and Anastasia Burakova, founder
  • Andrey Pivovarov, political prisoner
  • the editors of NewArmenia.am and Garik Chilingarian, editor-in-chief
  • The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
  • MR7.ru (St. Petersburg) and Elena Mikhina, editor-in-chief
  • Polina Shilina, journalist, Delfi (Russian edition, Latvia)
  • Clownstan Today
  • the editors of Discourse
  • the editors of Serditaya Chuvashiya
  • the editors of RSh and Maria Karlin, editor-in-chief (Switzerland)
  • the editors of Hromadska Pravda (Ukraine)
  • Russian Libertarian Party
  • OBC Transeuropa (Italy)
  • Kometa News (Moldova)
  • the editors of Telegi i Memasy Telegram channel
  • St. Petersburg Human Rights Center
  • the Moscow branch of Memorial, a center for human rights and historical education
  • Sergey Lukashevsky, director, Sakharov Center
  • Svetlana Gannushkina and Grazhdanskoe Sodeystvie, a non-profit foundation
  • the editors of Russians Against the War Telegram channel (Poland)
  • Russian Independent Media Archive
  • Russian Canadian Democratic Alliance (RCDA)
  • Irina Kizilova, journalist, co-organizer of Memorial Israel
  • Artem Liss, former editor, BBC World Service
  • Dmitry Elagin, film critic, Snob
  • Kristina Lunina and Kak Poluchitsya media
  • Rimma Polyak, columnist, Republic
  • Alexey Durnovo, writer and journalist
  • Andrey Novichkov, editor-in-chief, Fronde TV and Nastuplenie na Nasledie
  • Efim Neizvestny, contributor, Panorama
  • Lidia Ageeva, journalist
  • Natalia Galkina, journalist
  • Oleg Ivanov, photo-journalist
  • Vadim Kondakov, journalist
  • Andrey Rebrov, journalist
  • Olga Leontyeva, journalist
  • the editors of Equality Telegram channel
  • Ivan Slobedenyuk, journalist, Belsat
  • Anastasia Sechina and Chetvyortyi Sektor media
  • Maria Latsinskaya, journalist
  • Oleg Basalin, journalist
  • Nikolay Kandyshev, journalist
  • Victor Yukechev, journalist
  • Boris Tukh, journalist and film critic
  • the editors of TJ ne umer! satirical news
  • Artem Androsov, news host, RTN (New York)
  • Afanasy Emelyanov, journalist
  • Alexander Gerasimov, journalist
  • Anton Chernin, journalist
  • Ivan Fedosov, blogger
  • Pyotr Kozlov, journalist
  • Vijai Maheshwari, journalist, Politico Europe
  • Mark Novikov, journalist
  • Denis Cherdov, journalist
  • Vasily Zakharko, journalist
  • Sofia Epifanova, journalist
  • Kirill Alexeyev, author, Analiteg Telegram channel
  • Semyon Zelenovich, journalist
  • Angela Kalsynova, YouTube blogger
  • Ilya Kozin, journalist
  • ZIMA Magazine (London)
  • the editors of Oni za Voynu
  • the editors of Pravda o Voyne
  • The Voice of Reason movement
  • Dmitry Tolstosheyev, journalist
  • Evgeny Galitsky, journalist
  • Nina Abrosimova, journalist
  • Elena Samoylova, journalist
  • Vera Vasilyeva, journalist
  • Ivan Makridin, journalist, podcaster
  • Lev Kadik, journalist
  • Ruslan Totrov, journalist
  • Apolitichnost Gubit, a social movement
  • the editors of Russky Kovcheg Telegram channel
  • the Vornadzor anti-corruption movement
  • Dima Zitser, teacher
  • the editors of Echo of Petersburg (banned in Russia) and Ischem Vykhod, a YouTube channel
  • Alex Dubas, journalist
  • Zygmunt Dzieciolowski, journalist (Poland)
  • Obyektiv YouTube channel
  • Warsaw Local Anti-War Committee Telegram channel
  • Dozor v Volgograde project
  • The Polycrates Foundation
  • Alexander Artemyev, human-rights advocate
  • Dmitry Bayandin, attorney
  • Arseny Lytar, member, Russian State Duma Committee on Science and Education
  • Ilya Furman
  • Maria Klementyeva
  • Polina Shubentseva, activist and volunteer, Memorial
  • Andrey Yakimovich
  • Dmitry Simanovsky
  • Linur Arslanov
  • Vadim Dmitriyev
  • Mikhail Biryukov, attorney
  • Dmitry Gerasimenko
  • Sergey Kovalchenko
  • Maria Kabysh, costume designer
  • Timofey Andropov and the Ochnis movement
  • Lena Pylaeva and FreeRussiaNL
  • Olga Chernykova, former faculty member, Moscow State University
  • Alina Gnatyshina and Rossiya Buduschego (Switzerland)
  • Sergey Losev
  • Alexey Shmelev
  • Sergey Galin
  • Ekaterina Komissarova
  • Nikolay Matrosov
  • Ilya Bobrik
  • Alisher Artykov
  • Zhanna Shchukina
  • Igor Naginer
  • Alexey Volkov and the Canadian Russian Association Telegram channel
  • Olya Kazimirchuk
  • Sonya Blade
  • Joseph Malkin
  • Shimon Glazshteyn
  • Protokolnaya Redaktsiya project
  • Ivan Romanov
  • Elena Kvasyuk
  • Georgy Sushilin
  • Olga Degtyareva
  • Paul Robertus
  • Elena Lukyanova, attorney
  • Timofey Ilyushin, human rights advocate
  • Nikolay Golikov, artist
  • Alexander Kabanov, professor, University of North Carolina
  • Kirill Povarov
  • Irina Karpova
  • Irina Sokolovskaya
  • Mila Zemtsova
  • Andrey Kotov
  • Julia Ioffe, journalist (United States)
  • Lolita Roze (Latvia)
  • Mihail Gokhman (United States)
  • Greg Dolgopolov (Latvia)
  • Juris Raudulis (Latvia)
  • Lev Mendelson (United States)
  • Michael Mamontov (United States)
  • Eleonora Scheerseu (Germany)
  • Artur Heidt (Germany)
  • Marks Lisnanskis (Latvia)
  • Dmitrijs Krupņikovs (Latvia)
  • Dmitri Gouzévitch, historian (France)
  • Herta Hansena
  • Konstantin Kabanov
  • Tatiana le Roy (Belgium)
  • Laure Thibonnier (France)
  • Gennadi Kreps (Germany)
  • Natalia Kuzmina (Germany)
  • Association for Solidarity with Civil Society and the Development of Democracy in Russia, Russia of the Future (Spain)
  • the editors of Lenizdat.ru
  • Penguin Travel YouTube channel
  • Aiza Dolmatova, rapper
  • Ruslan Sokolovsky, blogger
  • the Iskra media training team
  • the KermlinRussia project team
  • the Smorodina: for Democracy in Russia association (Norway)
  • Oleksandr Tsyba
  • Andrey Lukashevich
  • Vadik Sirekanyan
  • Oleg Ponomarev
  • Sofia Gribkova
  • Alex Zatsman (United States)
  • Mykola Shpylchin
  • Marina Polishuk
  • Vladimir Yurovsky, conductor (Germany)
  • Olga Deryabina
  • Dmitry Cherne
  • Natalia Telegina
  • Vitaly Bovar
  • Maria Gabisov
  • Sofia Pulver
  • Nikita Petrashen
  • Lyudmila Kasa (Latvia)
  • Vladimir Rayevsky, journalist and television host
  • Fyodor Pavlov-Andreevich, artist and curator

and many other journalists and editors.

Meduza’s editorial board