Latvian Interior Minister Kristaps Eklons has blacklisted former host of Russia’s TV Rain opposition channel Alexey Korostelev who will no longer be able to enter the country following his on-air remarks about supporting Russian draftees, Delfi reports.
Delfi notes that Korostelev has one month to appeal this decision. The journalist was working from Georgia, he does not have a Latvian visa or work permit, therefore, the only way to hold Korostelev liable for his comments in Latvia is to ban him from entering the nation.
Earlier, Latvia revoked TV Rain’s licence, while Lithuania and Estonia also refused to allow the Russian opposition TV channel to operate in the countries later.
On 1 December, TV Rain host Alexey Korostelev said on air, “We hope that we could help many service members, particularly with equipment and just basic convenience on the frontline.” Later, editor-in-chief of TV Rain Tikhon Dzyadko said that the channel did not, is not, and would not help out the Russian army with equipment, on the frontlines or beyond.
Korostelev was fired. As a sign of support, TV Rain host Margarita Lyutova, journalist Vladimir Romensky, and the channel’s employee Darina Lukutina said that they would stop their collaboration with the channel.
Latvia’s media regulator, National Electronic Mass Media Council (NEPLP), fined TV Rain €10,000 and later revoked its broadcasting licence. Latvia’s State Security Service recommended the Minister of Internal Affairs to put TV Rain’s ex-host Alexey Korostelev on the list of people banned from entry to Latvia.
Yesterday, 6 December, TV Rain’s CEO Natalia Sindeeva asked Korostelev and other journalists who had quit to rejoin the team.
Multiple media outlets and public figures from Russia and beyond spoke out in support of TV Rain, including Novaya Gazeta and Novaya Gazeta Europe. Moreover, opposition politician Alexey Navalny expressed his support for TV Rain from prison.
