By Peter Sinkamba

THE HYPOCRISY OF EU ON MEDIA FREEDOM: EUROPE BANS RUSSIAN CHANNELS, RUSSIA TODAY AND SPUTNIK

The European Union always preaches freedom of the media is the fundamental right of various forms of media—including print, radio, television, and online media; that media needs to operate freely in society without government control, restriction, or censorship.

The EU, through its country reprentatives, and even Brussels, always attacks African and Chinese Governments when they control, restrict or censor media. In fact, when such happens in Africa or China, media freedom “champions” including the International Union of Journalists rise up to make all sorts of noises and lectures on media freedom as a fundamental right.

In fact, in EU, media freedom is purportedly a “fundamental right that applies to all member states of the European Union and its citizens, as defined in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights as well as the European Convention on Human Rights”.

EU member States use charter and convention as the basis to condemn other countries when there is “a violation” of these statutes.

Additionally, the United Nations General Assembly declared May 3 to be World Press Freedom Day or just World Press Day, observed to raise awareness of the importance of freedom of the press and remind governments of their duty to respect and uphold the right to freedom of expression enshrined under Article 19 of the 1948 Universal Human Rights Charter.

However, in direct contravention of the EU charter and convention,as well as the UN Charter, two days ago, the EU blocked Russian channels so “they will no longer be able to spread their lies to justify Putin’s war and to sow division in our union.”

This move is in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The EU banned Russian television channels Russia Today (RT) and Sputnik on Sunday.

“Russia Today and Sputnik, as well as their subsidiaries, will no longer be able to spread their lies to justify Putin’s war and to sow division in our union,” said European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen. “So we are developing tools to ban their toxic and harmful disinformation in Europe.”

It is now three days since the ban was effected. Meanwhile, all so called media freedoms champions are dead silent. Where is the UN? Where is the IUJ? Where are the regional and country media unions that make so much noise if such abhorable acts are done by African and Chinese Governments?

Hypocrites! Give us a break!