Russia Embassy Calls US Criticism of Deutsche Welle Ban Example of Double Standards Policy

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The Russian Embassy to the United States has described the US Department of State's criticism of the Russian ban on Germany's Deutsche Welle (DW) broadcaster as an example of the policy of double standards.

"@StateDeptSpox statement is another example of double standards policy. Where were [the US] 'high democratic values' when #Berlin banned the satellite and other types of broadcasting of @de_rt_com channel?" the embassy wrote on its Twitter page.

On late Friday, US State Department spokesperson Ned Price condemned the Russian ban on Deutsche Welle and expressed solidarity with the German broadcaster.

On Thursday, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced that Moscow would close the DW bureau, annul the accreditation of its employees, and terminate DW satellite and other broadcasts in response to the RT DE ban in Germany. Meanwhile, the ministry's official told Sputnik that if Germany revisits its position on RT DE, Moscow will respond in kind.

On Wednesday, German media regulator MABB officially banned broadcasts by RT DE in Germany, claiming that the organizers did not have the necessary permission. Moscow has described the ban as an infringement on freedom of speech.

In December, RT announced the launch of the RT DE news channel in German. A German media regulator MABB launched an investigation into RT DE Productions GmbH on December 17. A few days later, RT said that MABB had urged Eutelsat 9В network provider to remove RT DE from its broadcasting package.