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UK Media Watchdog Says Opened 7 New Investigations Into RT Amid Salisbury Events

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MOSCOW (Sputnik) - UK media watchdog Ofcom has said that it opened seven investigations into the RT broadcaster's coverage of the poisoning of former Russian intelligence officer Sergei Skripal in the UK town of Salisbury.

"We have today opened seven new investigations into the due impartiality of RT news and current affairs programmes. In accordance with our normal procedures, we will make the outcome of these investigations public as soon as possible… However, since the events in Salisbury, we have observed a significant increase in the number of programmes on the RT service that we consider warrant investigation as potential breaches of the Ofcom Broadcasting Code," the Ofcom statement read.

The regulator Ofcom has informed that RT producer TV Novosti could lose its right to broadcast in the UK if it failed its "fit and proper" test.

READ MORE: RT Chief Editor Says Audience Growing Despite Pressure

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According to the RT-broadcaster editor-in-chief, the audience of the international news channel has risen in the past couple of years despite continued pressure from Western states.

In March, UK Prime Minister Theresa May noted that the future of RT channel's broadcasting in the country should be determined by "independent Ofcom" rather than by the UK cabinet amid calls for RT's license withdrawal in the country in the light of Russian ex-spy Sergei Skripal's poisoning in Salisbury.

The Skripals were found unconscious on a bench at a shopping center on March 5, after an alleged nerve agent attack, the UK police stated that both people were "in a critical condition in intensive care."

The UK has blamed Russia for the incident and expelled Russian diplomats from the country. Several countries have followed the move.

Russia has denied any involvement in Skripal's poisoning. According to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, no facts demonstrating Russia's involvement in the incident have been provided by the UK side.

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