Official representative of Russian foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova said that the withdrawal of accreditation of journalists the Financial Times and The New York Times in connection with the publication about the alleged underreporting of deaths from coronavirus in Russia is an extreme measure that is not peculiar to Moscow.
- globallookpress.com
She stated this live on YouTube channel “Soloviev Live”.
She said that the State Duma deputies appealed to the Ministry of foreign Affairs of Russia with a request to take action against publications that have published incorrect information, up to the deprivation of journalists of accreditation in Russia.
“This, of course, an extreme measure, and it is not our method — withdrawal of accreditation, the expulsion of journalists or any other repressive measures. We always respond first with the word, and the word, supported by the case, specific steps,” Zakharova was quoted by RIA Novosti.
Also the Russian foreign Ministry said that further action against these publications will depend on if they publish a rebuttal of misinformation about the coronavirus in Russia.
Earlier it was reported that the foreign Ministry will be sent to the editors of The New York Times and the Financial Times, the requirement to refute the published false data about their alleged understatement of death rates from coronavirus in Russia. Letter requests will be forwarded through may 14, the Russian Embassy in the US and the UK.