Today, the independent TV channel was deemed “undesirable” by the Russian judiciary Dojdpaving the way for criminal prosecution of its journalists, but even its subscribers and donors, in yet another episode of Russia’s media crackdown.

Dojd (meaning “Rain” in Russian) was founded in 2010 and was the main opposition channel in Russia. Since 2014, due to his independent voice and the reports he broadcasts, he has been marginalized on pay-TV platforms.

His signal was blocked on March 1, 2022, immediately after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which his journalists condemned. Thus, it settled in Latvia, but last December the local regulatory authority blocked it in turn, accusing it of supporting Moscow.

This decision was decided “unfair and unreasonable” from Dojd, which now broadcasts its subscription program from the Netherlands.

Today, the Russian prosecutor’s office justified the decision to ban the channel from rebroadcasting due to “the systematic violation of laws” and the fact that it employs workers who have been classified “foreign agents” in Russia.

The channel “broadcast material of extremist organizations”, such as the Anti-Corruption Fund (FBK), dissident Alexei Navalny’s organization which was closed in 2021 as “extremist”.

Following today’s decision, the channel’s subscribers and Russian sponsors are threatened with prosecution. “The safety of our viewers is the most important thing for us,” Dojd said in a statement posted on Telegram.

For this reason, it is stopping subscriptions for Russian citizens and will no longer accept sponsorships from them because “if you live in Russia, it’s dangerous”.

In Russia, engaging in media activity that has been deemed “undesirable” is punishable by imprisonment up to 4 years for journalists and up to 6 years for organizers.

Many independent Russian media were forced to shut down or leave the country after the invasion of Ukraine and the adoption of laws banning all criticism. At the end of January, the independent website Meduza was also deemed “unwanted”.