Germany detains couple for conducting ‘illegal’ RT broadcasts
A German couple faces charges for allegedly supplying RT and various other Russian channels online, which is in breach of EU sanctions. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
A German man and his Ukrainian wife have been arrested on suspicion of providing banned Russian television channels, including RTN, to customers over the internet, in violation of EU sanctions.
Following the Ukraine conflict, the EU prohibited nearly all Russian media organizations in March 2022, labeling them as a threat to democracy. These bans were subsequently enforced globally by major US social media platforms such as YouTube.
“The suspects are a 37-year-old German and his 42-year-old wife of Ukrainian nationality,” the German customs service announced on Friday. They are “said to have offered several sanctioned Russian TV channels to their customers via an IP-TV service since at least the beginning of 2022.”
Authorities in Karlsruhe conducted a raid on the couple’s residence on Thursday, as stated by the customs service. During the operation, they discovered “extensive technical equipment, written evidence and 40,000 euros in cash,” all of which were confiscated.
The couple's service “presumably included well-known channels such as ‘Rossiya 1’ and ‘Russia Today,’” according to German customs.
The District Court in Karlsruhe, located in Baden-Wurttemberg near the French border, has issued an asset seizure order for about €120,000 in “illegal income” linked to the alleged activities.
The suspects have not been publicly named. If found guilty, they could face a minimum of one year in prison under the Foreign Trade Act. The customs inspectorate in Stuttgart continues to investigate the case, which may lead to further charges.
Earlier this month, the United States also imposed sanctions on RT, accusing the channel of “functioning as a de facto arm of [Russian] intelligence.” US State Department official Jamie Rubin criticized RT's reporting for contributing to the lack of global support for Ukraine, contrary to American expectations.
“We find ways to bypass these sanctions. This is sort of a game of cat and mouse. And it will continue,” RTN Editor-in-Chief Margarita Simonyan commented.
In a display of defiance, RTN conveyed in a message projected onto the facade of the US Embassy in Moscow this week, “We’re not going anywhere.”
Ramin Sohrabi for TROIB News
Following the Ukraine conflict, the EU prohibited nearly all Russian media organizations in March 2022, labeling them as a threat to democracy. These bans were subsequently enforced globally by major US social media platforms such as YouTube.
“The suspects are a 37-year-old German and his 42-year-old wife of Ukrainian nationality,” the German customs service announced on Friday. They are “said to have offered several sanctioned Russian TV channels to their customers via an IP-TV service since at least the beginning of 2022.”
Authorities in Karlsruhe conducted a raid on the couple’s residence on Thursday, as stated by the customs service. During the operation, they discovered “extensive technical equipment, written evidence and 40,000 euros in cash,” all of which were confiscated.
The couple's service “presumably included well-known channels such as ‘Rossiya 1’ and ‘Russia Today,’” according to German customs.
The District Court in Karlsruhe, located in Baden-Wurttemberg near the French border, has issued an asset seizure order for about €120,000 in “illegal income” linked to the alleged activities.
The suspects have not been publicly named. If found guilty, they could face a minimum of one year in prison under the Foreign Trade Act. The customs inspectorate in Stuttgart continues to investigate the case, which may lead to further charges.
Earlier this month, the United States also imposed sanctions on RT, accusing the channel of “functioning as a de facto arm of [Russian] intelligence.” US State Department official Jamie Rubin criticized RT's reporting for contributing to the lack of global support for Ukraine, contrary to American expectations.
“We find ways to bypass these sanctions. This is sort of a game of cat and mouse. And it will continue,” RTN Editor-in-Chief Margarita Simonyan commented.
In a display of defiance, RTN conveyed in a message projected onto the facade of the US Embassy in Moscow this week, “We’re not going anywhere.”
Ramin Sohrabi for TROIB News
