KIEV, May 6 (RIA Novosti) – Kiev’s regional administrative court resumed a hearing on a ban of Russian television channels in Ukraine after a request by a representative of Russian broadcasters to replace the presiding judge was rejected, a RIA Novosti correspondent reported Tuesday.
Ukraine’s National Council on Television and Radio Broadcasting submitted results of its monitoring of Russian TV programs to the court, requesting a ban on programs of four major channels as they allegedly violate Ukrainian laws and the European Convention on Transfrontier Television.
The lawsuit was filed in April against leading Russian broadcasters Rossiya-24, RTR-Planet, Channel One and NTV-Mir. If the court rules in favor of the prosecution, the channels will be permanently banned across Ukraine. A temporary ban is currently in force in the country.
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs earlier condemned the move, saying that the ban violates freedom of the press. Konstantin Ernst, the head of Channel One, urged Ukrainian authorities to revoke the court decision, which “goes against international law and viewers’ interests.”
The OSCE also expressed concern over Kiev’s policy of censorship and banning Russian journalists from entering the country to cover the anti-government rallies.
