RT France Says Investigation by French Watchdog Was Planned, Linked to Ban in Germany

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - RT France on Thursday said that the investigation launched by the French watchdog was planned as part of a wider campaign against the broadcaster, after RT DE was banned from airing in Germany.

On Wednesday, RT France chief Ksenia Fedorova said on Telegram that French media watchdog Arcom had launched an investigation into the broadcaster. She cited French magazine Challenges saying that a number of French associations had reported about omissions in the RT France's coverage, including stories on "yellow vests" and the situation in Syria and the Central African Republic.

"Obviously, this is a planned action, as the information about the investigation of our channel has appeared a day after our colleagues from RT DE were banned from broadcasting. If these reports in media are confirmed and the French regulator did launch the investigation of RT France because of claims of some 'associations', this will become a sign of a real censorship, because it is no longer about trying to find fake news or any discrepancies, but it is about presenting information," Fedorova said.

The chief editor mentioned that RT France has requested clarification from the watchdog, but has yet to receive any response.

Earlier on Thursday, Russia banned Deutsche Welle's broadcast in the country in response to Germany's earlier ban of RT DE broadcast.