The National Electronic Media Council (NEPLP) has decided to ban the distribution in Latvia of 18 Russian TV channels under the direct / indirect ownership of the Russian-registered joint stock company Gazprombank, which was sanctioned by the US Foreign Assets Control Bureau in February this year, according to the Council's reps.

The channels excluded from the list of channels to be re-transmitted are: TNT-Comedy, TNT4 International, TNT, TNT Music, FRIDAY International, KHL TV channel, KHL HDTV channel, KINOPREM'YERA, KINOSVIDANIYE, Muzhskoye Kino, Lya-minor TV, Avto Plus, Nostal’giya, ZHIVI!, Kto yest ’kto, Malysh-TV, Russkaya Noch and Zee TV. All of the mentioned channels belong to Gazprombank, its media holding company Gazprom Media Holdings and its subsidiary Red Media.

'NEPLP will continue to follow the decisions of the internationally imposed sanctions taken in the context of Russia's brutal war in Ukraine. The Council's decision to prohibit the distribution of 'aggressor' content in Latvia is a logical step towards protecting our information space and strengthening our national security,' said NEPLP member Ieva Kalderauska.

The decision to ban the distribution of the listed channels was adopted by the NEPLP on March 7 and will enter into force after its publication in Latvia's Official Gazette (Latvijas Vēstnesis).