Ukraine war, Latvian politics bring attacks on Baltic media freedom

A defense minister doubts extra funding for public service TV after a controversial interview, a parliament enables a broadcast watchdog to block “undesirable” internet sites to all users, a law is passed to revoke citizenship for expressing support for Russia in the ongoing invasion of Ukraine and journalists are accused of disloyalty or even treason on social media.

While these events all happened in Latvia, the war has generated controversy and criticisms of the media in all three countries, though less so in Estonia and Lithuania.

In Latvia a form of censorship has been restored and public service broadcasters threatened with denial of funding by a government minister for interviewing a controversial ethnic Russian journalist.

Media watchdog given power to censor internet access

The Latvian parliament or Saeima authorized a broadcasting watchdog, previously empowered only to regulate commercial radio and TV channels, to block access to internet websites deemed “threats to national security”.

The Saeima also passed a law allowing the government to revoke the Latvian citizenship of anyone supporting Russia’s alleged war crimes and invasion of Ukraine. Since international law forbids making anyone stateless, the law appears aimed at revoking the Latvian citizenship of Petr Aven, a Russian oligarch granted a Latvian passport several years ago for his charitable work and part-Latvian ancestry…