The Russian state broadcaster RT will challenge the broadcasting ban for its German-speaking branch in the German court. RT finds the ban illegal and says it has now appealed. Moscow took revenge last week by banning German broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW).
The German broadcasting authorities imposed the ban because RT does not have the correct license. Russia spoke of an “attack on freedom of expression” and promised retaliatory measures. The country then banned DW from broadcasting, closed the station’s Moscow office and revoked the accreditation of DW journalists.
YouTube banned several German-language channels from RT last year. Two channels were closed because they would spread disinformation about the coronavirus. Later, another channel was taken down as it would bypass an earlier blockade.
RT broadcasts in six languages. Western countries see the channel as a propaganda channel for the Kremlin. However, RT believes that it contributes to the diversity of opinions in Europe.