Journalists’ Federation: EU Decision to Ban RT, Sputnik Endangers Media Freedom Principles

The Journalists’ Federation expressed strong condemnation and denunciation of the unjust decision of the European Union to ban the Russian channels of “RT” and Sputnik. In this respect, the Federation stressed that this ban is a violation of international laws and covenants, a flagrant violation of the right to freedom of opinion and a real danger to the principles of media freedom.

The Federation of Journalists said in a statement that the EU’s aggressive decision was accompanied by immoral attempts to restrict the access of citizens in Europe to these channels through social media, which constitutes a violation of freedom of access to information, enabling the public to view multiple opinions, and protecting the right of universal and non-discriminatory access, which is endorsed by the information society and preserved by international conventions.

The Federation indicated that the decision constitutes a media piracy that exposes the aggressive intentions of obscuring the real scene and excluding it in favor of fake and fabricated information through the targeting and prosecution of the recipients. The Federation called on Arab, regional and international organizations to work to stop this unjust procedure and the dangerous aggressive steps against the media profession and the rights and freedoms approved by the international community.