Russia’s mass media regulator has accused RFE/RL’s Russian Service of violating the country’s election law and of overstepping limits set by its license.
Interfax quotes Mikhail Vorobyov, spokesman for the Roskomnadzor regulator, as saying the Central Election Commission complained that RFE/RL’s Russian Service — also known as Radio Liberty — ran a report on March 13 citing opinion polls as local elections were being held.
Vorobyov said that is a violation of Russia’s election laws.
Vorobyov also said RFE/RL’s license allows it to broadcast “to the territory of Moscow alone.”
Reacting to the report, Jefim Fistein, director of RFE/RL’s Russian Service, acknowleged the importance of adhering to Russian election laws but said the report in question cited polls from a previous election, not the March 13 poll.
Fistein also noted that Radio Liberty has been broadcasting to all of Russia for nearly 60 years.
with agency reports