MOSCOW: Russia said that Tuesday it would block access to 81 EU media outlets, including AFP’s websites, as a “retaliatory measure” after Brussels imposed broadcasting bans on several Russian state media outlets.
The European Union in May said it had decided to block access to four Kremlin-controlled media for being “instrumental in bringing forward and supporting” Moscow’s Ukraine offensive.
Moscow said it was responding to that move.
“Counter-restrictions are being introduced on the access from Russian territory of broadcast resources of media outlets from EU member states,” Moscow’s foreign ministry said in a statement, publishing a list of media outlets and blaming Brussels for the restrictions.
The list included AFP’s homepage afp.com and its client portal afpforum.com.
France’s Le Monde, Germany’s Der Spiegel and Spain’s El Mundo were also among the media outlets named on the list.
Russia denounced the EU sanctions as “politically motivated” and said the bloc’s decisions were “forcing Moscow to take mirror and proportionate countermeasures.”
It said it would “revise” the restrictions if sanctions on Russian media were lifted.
Russia has already blocked access to much of the Western media since sending troops to Ukraine, as well as to Western social media giants.
Domestic media that are critical of President Vladimir Putin’s rule or his Ukraine offensive have also been banned, harassed and outlawed, and many independent media outlets and journalists have fled into exile.
Moscow says to block access to 81 EU media outlets, including AFP website
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Moscow says to block access to 81 EU media outlets, including AFP website
- The list also include France’s Le Monde, Germany’s Der Spiegel and Spain’s El Mundo
- “Retaliatory measure” was taken in response to Brussels banning several Russian broadcasts, Moscos said
Tunisian journalist Chatha BelHajj Mubarak freed after sentence cut
- The court cut her sentence from five years to two, making her eligible for immediate release, her brother told Reuters
TUNIS: A Tunisian appeal court on Wednesday ordered the release of journalist Chatha BelHajj Mubarak, jailed since 2023 in a conspiracy case, after reducing her prison sentence, her family said.
The court cut her sentence from five years to two, making her eligible for immediate release, her brother told Reuters.
She was convicted in the so-called “Instalingo” case, which involved politicians, media figures and other defendants accused of conspiracy and financial crimes. BelHajj Mubarak denied the charges.
“Chatha is free and leaving prison,” her brother, Amen BelHajj Mubarak, said.
He said her health had severely deteriorated during her time in prison. She suffered serious complications, including significant hearing loss, and was diagnosed with cancer in detention, he added.
Tunisian authorities have said the case stems from judicial investigations into alleged financial and security-related offenses, and have rejected accusations by opposition groups that the prosecutions were politically motivated.
Tunisian prosecutors are pursuing a number of high-profile conspiracy cases involving politicians, journalists and activists. Several opposition leaders have received lengthy prison terms.
