Russia Expels German Reporters Over Russian Media Office Closure

MOSCOW:
Russia has ordered journalists of the German media ARD to leave the country in response to German authorities’ closure of Russian broadcaster Channel One’s office, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday.

“In response to the unfriendly actions of German authorities, which were taken against Russian correspondents … as a mirror measure, it is prescribed to German correspondents to hand over their accreditation certificates and leave the territory of the Russian Federation,” Zakharova said at a media briefing.

She added that Russia will be ready to issue accreditation to new ARD employees after Germany creates conditions for the work of Russian journalists and resumes activities of Channel One’s office.

Earlier in the day, Russian media reported German authorities were closing Channel One’s office in Berlin, requiring a correspondent and a cameraman of the broadcaster to leave Germany in early December, Xinhua news agency reported.

The broadcaster provided a document by the German authorities, which reportedly stated that “the activities of Channel One represent a significant immediate threat to public order and security in Germany and the EU as they pose a threat to the process of the formation of the public opinion and decision-making in the member states.”