Deutsche Welle undesirable in Russia
Moscow (dpa) — Moscow has labelled Germany’s international broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW) an “undesirable organization,” effectively banning its activities in the country.
The move follows a recommendation by the State Duma, Russia’s lower house of parliament, DW reported on Sunday.
A government statement posted on Telegram on Saturday said the General Prosecutor’s Office now considers DW to be “at the forefront of hostile anti-Russian propaganda.” The prosecutor’s office has not issued a separate statement.
DW Director General Barbara Massing criticized the tightening of the crackdown on free media by the Russian judiciary.
Deutsche Welle undesirable in Russia
“Russia may label us an undesirable organization, but that won’t deter us. This latest attempt to silence free media highlights the Russian regime’s blatant disregard for press freedom and exposes its fear of independent information,” Massing said in a statement.
“Despite censorship and blocking of our services by the Russian government, DW’s Russian-language service now reaches more people than ever before.
“We will continue to report independently – on the war of aggression against Ukraine and other topics about which little information is available in Russia. So that people can form their own opinions,” Massing said.
Russia has targeted DW for years, revoking accreditations and banning its broadcasts in February 2022. The broadcaster’s website has been blocked, and DW was labelled a “foreign agent” in March 2022.
The new designation further tightens restrictions, as cooperation with an “undesirable organization” can lead to fines or prison sentences.
“This means that Russian employees of DW are particularly affected,” Massing added.
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