The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia accused Moldova of oppressing the Russian national minority.
The accusation came after the official decision of Chisinau, which revoked the broadcasting license of six TV channels that spread propaganda about the war in Ukraine. This is stated in a statement from the Russian ministry.
'We consider this ban as an unprecedented act of political censorship, as an affront to the principle of media pluralism and a gross disregard for the right to freedom of access to information, which the political leadership of the Republic regularly declares its commitment to.
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In light of the unprecedented consequences of its implementation for the Russian-speaking part of the population of the country, we also qualify it as a cynical infringement of the rights of national minorities,' the Russian agency stated.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation demands that relevant international organizations 'provide an adequate assessment of what has happened and take all necessary measures to rectify this unacceptable situation.'
On the evening of December 16, the emergency situations commission, which has been operating in Moldova since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, suspended the licenses of six TV channels. Among them: TV6, Orhei TV, Primul in Moldova, Accent TV, NTV Moldova, and RTR Moldova.
According to the commission's order, the decision to suspend the licenses was made to protect the national information space and to prevent the risk of misinformation and attempts to manipulate public opinion. It is claimed that the channels disseminated incorrect information while covering the war in Ukraine.
President Maia Sandu stated that protecting the national information space is an important step to prevent attempts at destabilization initiated by individuals under international sanctions.
The pro-Russian Party of Socialists of Moldova called the commission's decision illegal and plans to challenge it in court.