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17Oct16

Moscow says freeze of RT accounts could be coordinated with UK authorities

The freeze of the Russian television channel RT's bank accounts in the United Kingdom may have been coordinated with the British authorities, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Monday.

"This situation will entail insurmountable obstacles for the TV channel's work in the UK as this can be seen as a move coordinated with British authorities and taken to get rid of a mass medium, which is unfavorable for UK officials but popular with the British audience," the ministry said in a statement.

Moscow demands explanation

Russia considers the freeze of the Russian television channel RT's bank accounts in the UK a violation of freedom of speech and press and will demand explanations of the situation, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Monday.

Russia was "deeply concerned with the news of the closure of the accounts of RT's UK office announced in a letter by National Westminster Bank on October 12 and made public today," the statement says.

"This situation will entail insurmountable obstacles for the TV channel's work in the UK as this can be seen as a move coordinated with British authorities and taken to get rid of a mass medium, which is unfavorable for UK officials but popular with the British audience," the ministry noted.

"If it is true, than this is an evidence of a gross violation of the fundamental principles of freedom of speech and freedom of the press on behalf of 'one of the oldest democracies of the world', as the British like to call their country," the statement stressed.

Moscow will soon "demand the British authorities to explain this situation," the ministry added.

[Source: Itar Tass, Moscow, 17Oct16]
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