Russia shuts DW's Moscow office, withdraws staff credentials

DW broadcaing in moscow being shut by authorities.

Russia has withdrawn the press credentials of all Deutsche Welle staff and is shutting down the organization's office in Moscow. It is also taking measures to shut down DW broadcasting on Russian territory.

Russia on Thursday said it was closing the Moscow bureau of German broadcaster Deutsche Welle and revoking its employees' accreditations in the country.

The Russian foreign ministry also said in a statement that it would "terminate the satellite and other broadcasting (output) of Deutsche Welle" on Russian territory. 

Russia had earlier criticized a German broadcasting regulator's ban on German-language programming by Russia's state broadcaster RT as an attack on freedom of expression and freedom of the press.

The German MABB media watchdog and Commission for Licensing and Supervision (ZAK) of media organizations said this week that RT DE could not broadcast in Germany using a Serbian licence.

The Russian government also said it was planning to initiate a procedure for considering recognising DW as a foreign media outlet performing the functions of a foreign agent.

It will also compile a list of representatives involved in restricting the broadcasting of RT in Germany, who would be banned from entering the Russian Federation.

rc/sms (AFP, Reuters) - DW News