“The laws of Latvia must be respected by everyone.” Of that noticeIvars Albonis,chairman of the Latvian council for mass media NELPL, withdrew thebroadcasting rights of the Russian television channel Dozhd on Tuesday. Thisis because of a series of violations that, according to Latvia, pose a threatto “state security and social order” in the country.
The independent TV channel, also known as TV Rain in English, was blockedshortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine under pressure from Russia’smilitary censorship. Editorial staff fanned out to European cities such asRiga, Amsterdam and Tbilisi. In Latvia, the channel was licensed for cablebroadcasting.
The loss of the license means that the editors of the channel are now indanger of becoming homeless again. Although the online broadcasts via YouTubewill continue to be seen internationally, they may also be blocked in Latvia.The decision was widely criticized on Tuesday by people who believe thatDozhd, as one of the few Russian-language channels providing independent newsto Russian speakers, deserves protection. In a statement, Dozhd called theLatvian decision “unjust and absurd.”
Do I feel sorry for the hungry mobilized people featured in the broadcast?> Is talking about these people a form of help?”>> Alexey Korostelev (27) fired presenter at Dozhd
According to NEPLP chairman Albonis, Dozhd is guilty of several violations, ofwhich the channel “understands the meaning and seriousness”. For example,Dozhd recently showed a map showing the annexed Crimea as a geographical partof Russia. Another objection is according to news site Medusa that Dozhdonly broadcasts in Russian and not in Latvian or English and without Latviansubtitles.
Mobilized soldiers
The immediate reason for revoking the license is a scandal that ignited lastweekend after a live broadcast of the political program Here and now. In it,presenter Aleksej Korostelev (27) read an editorial call to submit testimoniesabout human rights violations of soldiers mobilized by Russia. He added thathe “hopes that we can help soldiers, for example with equipment or basic basicfacilities at the front.” He also called the testimonies of relatives ofmobilized Russians “horrifying.”
His comment particularly shot it [pro-]Ukrainian part of the viewers in thewrong way and provoked strong reactions on social media. “The Russian’opposition’ channel TV Rain prides itself on supplying Russian soldiers […]This is how it wants to please the Russian killers when they slaughter us.”wrote Ukrainian anti-corruption activistOlena Halushka on Twitter.
Since October, Dozjd has also been broadcasting from the INIT building inEast Amsterdam which also includes the editors of de Volkskrant ,Fidelity and The parole and the editors of The-Moscow Times are located.- Dozjd works here with ten to fifteen people on the broadcasts for YouTube.The Russian-language channel has more than three million subscribers, thebroadcasts attract several hundred thousand views.
Host Michael Fishman considers the Latvian decision “enormously unjust”and sees the Kremlin as the only winner. “I don’t know exactly what it meansfor us in Amsterdam. TV Rain does not need a Latvian license for YouTube.”Fishman has no intention of stopping. “I have not yet skipped a single show asa presenter. My next show on Sunday will be broadcast as usual.” Fishman hoststhe broadcast twice a week. Derek Sauer van The Moscow Times writes onTwitter that they will continue to provide the Russians with independent andfact-based news from the joint editorial office in Amsterdam.
Gilad Perez
Korostelev’s statement was removed from the online broadcast by the editors.Editor-in-chief Tikhon Dzjadko stated from his hometown of Tbilisi that it was”misleading” and “created the idea that Dozhd is helping the Russian army.”The next day, another extensive apology followed, this time by presenterYekaterina Kotrikadze, announcing Korosteljov’s resignation. That decision inturn provoked strong reactions from people who thought the intervention wasdisproportionate.
Korostelev himself wrote in a statement that he had made a mistake, that hiswords were taken out of context, that he does not raise money for the Russianarmy in any way and does not support the war in any way. “Do I feel sorry forthe hungry mobilized who were featured in the broadcast, and who have beenabandoned by everyone? Yes. Do I think Putin is a hero? No. Is talking aboutthese people a form of help?”
Fine of 10,000 euros
However, the dismissal of the presenter was not enough for the Latviangovernment. Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics ordered an investigationby the Latvian security services and media watchdog NEPLP on Friday. LatvianDefense Minister Artis Pabriks said on Twitter that Dozhd should return toRussia and suggested that the journalists’ residence permits be revoked. Onthe same day it was announced that Latvia had imposed a fine of 10,000 euroson Dozhd for showing Crimea as part of Russia. Moscow, meanwhile, echoedtriumphant sounds of pro-Kremlin propagandists gloating over Dozhd’s fate.
The political scandal surrounding Dozhd shows how difficult it is forjournalists expelled from Russia to maneuver within the European medialandscape polarized by the war. Many Ukrainians view the Russian people ascomplicit and believe that as long as the Russians do not revolt, they do notdeserve empathy in any way.
That split was also apparent on Tuesday from the words of journalist and CEONatalia Sindejeva, who founded Dozhd in 2010 as the only independent TVchannel in Russia. In an interview with Meduza, Sindeeva said he regretted allkinds of decisions, including Korostelev’s dismissal, which was said to havebeen “driven by emotions”. “We did a lot of stupid things […] It was like atotal nightmare where everyone would turn their back on us – the Ukrainians,the Latvians. And they have done that.” Reporters Without Borders called theLatvian decision a “serious blow to journalistic freedom, independence and