Media ethics council warns of complaints aimed at curbing press freedom

Latvia’s Media Ethics Council has observed attempts by individuals to restrict press freedom through the use of media self-regulation procedures and unfounded complaints, LSM reported.

The council said many of the complaints appear to be written using artificial intelligence tools. They concern coverage of Russia’s war and seek to limit media outlets’ ability to mention a person’s nationality or citizenship status when the context is considered unfavourable.

The council said such complaints are submitted from time to time by pro-Kremlin disinformation spreaders who have come to the attention of the State Security Service, as well as by other “activists”. When a complaint appears intended to challenge editorial independence or put pressure on a media outlet, the council reviews it but does not investigate it in depth.

In a recent case, a politician complained that a media outlet had reported information from the State Border Guard about the citizenship of a person detained for transporting someone who had crossed the border illegally. The Border Guard regularly informs the public about illegal migration to Latvia, which it describes as being encouraged as part of a hybrid war launched by Russia and Belarus. Its information includes the citizenship of detained transporters, and media outlets report on it. Those detained have included Latvian citizens and non-citizens, as well as citizens of Estonia, Ukraine and Poland.

The council said the politician presented the outlet’s report about the detention of a Latvian non-citizen in connection with organising illegal migration as discrimination, incitement to hatred, disrespect and dishonest conduct. The council’s board called the complaint a brazen and cynical attempt to influence media independence by using self-regulation procedures.