MOSCOW: Russia’s state media regulator Roskomnadzor on Friday accused television channel France 24 of violating Russian media laws, after Paris issued a warning to the French arm of Moscow’s broadcaster RT.
“As part of its control and supervision activity in the media, Roskomnadzor identified a violation of media law 19.1 by France 24 in Russia,” the watchdog said in a statement.
The law in question bans foreigners from holding more than a 20 percent stake in Russian media outlets, forcing them to be controlled by Russian legal entities.
France 24 broadcasts in English on Russian satellite packages.
“It was established that the editorial activity of the channel is under the control of a foreign legal entity, which is a violation of the 19.1 media law,” Roskomnadzor said.
The watchdog said it had sent a letter to the channel as a “reminder about the inadmissibility of violating laws of the Russian Federation.”
The letter, it added, informed the channel that a media organization could be shut down if laws are violated.
Earlier France’s broadcasting regulator issued a warning to the French arm of Russian channel RT over a news report which dubbed over the voices of Syrian civilians with words they had not said.
France’s Audiovisual Council (CSA) accused the state-backed channel, which has already drawn the ire of President Emmanuel Macron, of “failures of honesty, rigour of information and diversity of points of view.”
RT, considered by the United States to be a pro-Kremlin propaganda outlet, has already faced multiple warnings from Britain’s media regulator Ofcom over reports on Syria and Ukraine, where Russian forces are present.
Russia accuses France 24 of breaking media law
Russia accuses France 24 of breaking media law
- State media regulator Roskomnadzor accused television channel France 24 of violating Russian media laws.
- France’s broadcasting regulator had issued a warning to the French arm of Russian channel RT over a news report which dubbed over the voices of Syrian civilians with words they had not said.
Israel says ban on Gaza media access should stay: court document
- Israeli authorities have told the Supreme Court that a ban on international media access to Gaza should remain in place, arguing it is necessary for security reasons
JERUSALEM: Israeli authorities have told the Supreme Court that a ban on international media access to Gaza should remain in place, arguing it is necessary for security reasons, according to a government submission filed by the public prosecutor.
Since the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023, Israeli authorities have barred foreign journalists from independently entering the devastated territory.
Instead, Israel has allowed only a limited number of reporters to enter Gaza on a case-by-case basis, embedded with its military forces inside the blockaded territory.
The Foreign Press Association (FPA), which represents hundreds of foreign journalists working in Israel and the Palestinian territories, filed a petition with the Supreme Court in 2024 seeking immediate and unrestricted access for international media to the Gaza Strip.
Since then the court has given several extensions to the Israeli authorities to come up with a plan, but at a hearing last month it set January 4 as a final deadline.
Late on Sunday, the Israeli authorities filed their response with the court, a copy of which was obtained by AFP.
In the submission, the government said the ban on media access to Gaza should continue, citing security risks in the territory.
“Even at this time, entry of journalists into the Gaza Strip without escort, as requested in the petition, should not be permitted,” said the government submission.
“This is for security reasons, based on the position of the defense establishment, which maintains that a security risk associated with such entry still exists.”
The Israeli authorities said the ceasefire in Gaza, which came into effect on October 10, continues to face regular threats.
At least 420 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza by Israeli forces since the ceasefire took effect, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
The Israeli military said three of its soldiers have also been killed by militants during the same period.
The Israeli authorities said in their submission that the search for the remains of the last hostage held in Gaza is ongoing, suggesting that allowing journalists into the territory at this stage could hinder the operation.
The remains of Ran Gvili, whose body was taken to Gaza after he was killed during the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, have still not been recovered despite the ceasefire.
All other 250 hostages seized on that day — both the living and the deceased — have been returned to Israel.
The Supreme Court is expected to issue a ruling on the matter, though it is unclear when a decision will be handed down.
An AFP journalist sits on the board of the FPA.
