Claims of Political Motives Behind Media Restrictions Raised at UNESCO Forum
Speaking at the event, Chief Producer Dmitry Leontiev criticized what he described as coordinated actions by Western governments. “We were banned by all Western countries a few years ago,” he said. “More than that, those Western governments coerced social media companies to ban us as well.”
He further claimed that pressure extended beyond Western states, asserting that governments in Africa were also encouraged to impose similar restrictions, with the possibility of sanctions raised if they did not comply. According to his remarks, such measures were presented as efforts to combat false information, though he argued they lacked direct accusations that the network had disseminated incorrect content.
Leontiev framed the issue as a contradiction between two principles, asking: “How do we put these two concepts together – fighting disinformation and press freedom?”
Responding during the discussion, Phathiswa Magopeni Tshangana, who leads the Press Council of South Africa, emphasized the need for digital platform governance grounded in human rights. She highlighted the importance of ensuring that policies adequately safeguard both freedom of expression and journalistic independence.
Supporting the broader criticism, Rinat Alyautdinov, representing Russia at UNESCO, stated that Moscow has consistently pointed to what he described as “one-sided politically motivated reprisals against the Russian media in the West.” He also noted that several delegations participating in the forum share concerns about “unilateral Western sanctions that are aimed at uncompromisingly sanitizing information space and eliminating any manifestations of dissent.”
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