Alerts | Censorship and regulation

Ekho Moskvy silenced over war reporting

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Russia’s iconic radio broadcaster Ekho Moskvy was forced to close after it was taken off air by the Prosecutor General’s Office over its coverage of the country’s invasion of Ukraine. The Prosecutor General accused the station of spreading what it called “deliberately false information about the actions of Russian military personnel” as well as “information calling for extremist activity” and “violence.” After it was taken off air, the state internet regulator Roskomnadzor then blacklisted the Moscow-based radio station and blocked access to the website. The station condemned the censorship as an undisguised attempt to silence factual reporting on the war. Its editor-in-chief, Alexei Venediktov, said that no evidence or details had been provided and that the decision was taken illegally. He said the silencing of the station was “unfounded and insulting to journalists and citizens of Russia.” The following day, Ekho Moskvy’s Board of Directors voted to liquidate the radio station and its website. Roskomnadzor also demanded that Google remove the Ekho Moskvy app.

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