Latvia’s State Security Service recommends to ban entry to TV Rain’s ex-host Alexey Korostelev

Latvia’s State Security Service has recommended the Minister of Internal Affairs to put TV Rain’s ex-host Alexey Korostelev on the list of people banned from entry to Latvia. The corresponding statement was published on the service’s website.

According to the security service, the statements made by Korostelev on air on 1 December were “against the Latvian national security interests”.

“Deliberate military actions and violence against civilian population of Ukraine by Russia’s Armed Forces are recognised as terrorism, while Russia as a state that supports terrorism,” the press release states.

According to the information available to the security service, the programme during which Korostelev made his statements was recorded in Georgia, where Korostelev resides on permanent basis and works. Seeing as the journalist has no Latvian residence permit, Latvia’s authorities are unable to prosecute him, the service clarifies.

On 2 December, Latvia’s State Security Service began an investigation into the statements made during TV Rain news broadcast during which Korostelev urged viewers to share cases of Russian mobilised soldiers’ rights being violated on the frontline and said, “We hope that we could help many service members, particularly with equipment and just basic convenience on the frontline.”

Earlier today, Latvia’s National Electronic Mass Media Council (NEPLP) revoked TV Rain’s broadcasting licence.