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Lithuanian Broadcasting Watchdog Bans Access to Sputnik Lietuva Website

VILNIUS (Sputnik) - The Radio and Television Commission of Lithuania (RTCL) has ordered to ban access to the website of Sputnik Lietuva news agency over alleged copyright breach, the agency reported on Wednesday, citing the watchdog's press service.
Sputnik

The LRT broadcaster reportedly complained of a breach to the watchdog on July 3, suggesting that Sputnik Lietuva had posted some of LRT materials on its website without permission.

According to Sputnik Lietuva, RTCL ruled in favour of LRT and decided to instruct Internet providers to block access to the agency's website.

"LRT turned to the website administrator and hosting provider asking to delete the content protected by copyright that was published illegally, but it continued to be published illegally. The website administrator continued to indirectly encourage users to keep using the illegally published materials that were protected by copyright", the watchdog said, as quoted by Sputnik Lietuva.

The decision to block access to the website will enter force only after a court in Vilnius confirms it.

In late May, the editor-in-chief of Sputnik Lietuva, Marat Kasem, said he had been briefly detained upon arrival at Vilnius airport, told that he was considered a "national security threat," banned from entering Lithuania for five years and immediately deported.

The Russian Foreign Ministry has slammed the policy of Baltic countries, putting obstacles to the work of the Russian media.

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