Latvian authorities reported Friday that Russian broadcaster Dozhd has been fined 10,000 euros for presenting a map of Russia showing Crimea as part of its territory.
The chairman of the National Council of Electronic Mass Media, Ivars Abolins, said that the entity has fined the channel for «showing occupied Crimea as part of Russia» despite the fact that the channel is considered a «foreign agent» in Russia.
Thus, he pointed out that this is the «second serious infraction» committed by the confiscation media during the last few months and warned that the Latvian body could withdraw its broadcasting license, according to Russian news agencies. For the time being, he said, an administrative procedure has been initiated against Dozhd for possible support to the Russian Army.
Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula after holding a referendum in 2014 that was not supported internationally. Moscow has repeatedly stated that the inhabitants of Crimea, democratically and in full compliance with international law, «voted for its reunification with Russia.»
Now, in the midst of the invasion of Ukraine, Moscow insists that, as a condition for peace, Ukraine must declare itself neutral in its Constitution and recognize the annexation of Crimea to Russia, as well as the independence of the self-proclaimed republics of Donetsk and Lugansk in the Donbas region (east).
