On the basis of Section 185, Paragraph one, Section 185, Paragraph six, Section 316, Paragraph one, section 316, Paragraph one of the Administrative Procedure Law, the Administrative District Court of Latvia has decided to reject the request for interim protection of SIA “Pirmais Baltijas Kanāls” and SIA TEM TV regarding the decision of the National Electronic Mass Media Council of 20 November 2019 No. 224 suspension of operation. Consequently, the decision of The NEPLP has been left and the prohibition of nine programmes in Latvia continues.
"We have launched the verification of the real beneficiaries of the electronic media. The court's decision confirms that we have acted correctly and can assure you that the checks will continue. The protection of the Latvian information space is our main priority," said the President of the Council, Ivars Āboliņš.
Recalling that, at the meeting of the National Electronic Mass Media Council of 20 November 2019, decision No. 224 “on the suspension of the distribution of certain programmes to be retransmitted in Latvia” was adopted (hereinafter – decision), by which the Council of the National Electronic Mass Media has established a prohibition to retranslate programmes: “Vremya: dalekoye i blizkoye” (“Время: далекое и близкое”); “Bobjor” (“Бобёр”); “Dom Kino” (“Дом Кино”); “Dom Kino PREMIUM” (“Дом Кино ПРЕМИУМ” / “Дом Кино PREMIUM”); “Muzika Pervogo” (“Музыка Первого”); “O!”(“О!”); “Poyekhali” (“Поехали!”); “TELECAFE” (“ТЕЛЕКАФЕ”); “Peterburg – 5 kanal” (“Петербург - 5 канал”) into the territory of the Republic of Latvia in all public electronic communications networks under the supervision of the Council, temporarily pending the imposition of sanctions imposed by the Council of the European Union on the destruction of the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine against the person subject to sanctions – Jurijs Kovaļčuks, who is indicated as one of the true beneficiaries of the aforementioned programmes.
The decision was taken on the basis of information received from the State security authority and on the basis of Section 60, Paragraph one, Clause 13 of the Electronic Mass Media Law, Section 11 of the National Sanctions Act of the Republic of Latvia and Regulation No. 269/2014 of the Council of the European Union of 17 March 2014.
Decision No. 224 of 20 November 2019 of the National Electronic Mass Media Council.