Moldova’s Commission for Emergency Situations (CSE) has placed a temporary ban on six TV for “spreading false information” about the country and war in Ukraine.
In its decision, published by the state news agency moldpres, the body said it had taken the action “uo protect the national information space and prevent the risk of misinformation through the spread of false information or attempt of manipulating the public opinion, having at the basis the list of private people and legal entities subjected to international sanctions, as well as multiple findings of the Audiovisual Council for the lack of correct informing in the coverage of the national events, as well as of the war in Ukraine, the broadcasting licence of the six TV media audiovisual services is suspended on the period of the emergency state: Primul în Moldova (First in Moldova), RTR Moldova, Accent TV, NTV Moldova, TV6 and Orhei TV”.
According to Reuters, the channels are closely linked to the politician and businessman Ilan Shor, who fled Moldova in 2019 following the election of the pro-Western President Maia Sandu.
It adds that the suspension will come into effect on December 19 and remain in place for the duration of the state of emergency that Moldova imposed following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24.
Reuters also notes that Russia has strongly condemned Moldova’s action.
