France has expressed its "dismay" over Russia’s decision to ban the press freedom NGO, Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
The French Foreign Ministry said on Monday that the move formed part of a broader campaign of repression against critical voices, carried out in "flagrant disregard for freedom of expression and press freedom," News.Az reports citing foreign media.
Paris also renewed its call for the "immediate and unconditional release of all those prosecuted for political reasons" and urged Russia to honour its international commitments on the right to information and free access to news.
'Undesirable organisations'
On 14 August, Russia’s Ministry of Justice announced that RSF had been added to its list of so-called undesirable organisations.
The designation effectively bans the group’s activities inside Russia, placing staff, supporters and funders at risk of prosecution and possible prison sentences.
The Paris-based NGO, campaigns globally for press freedom, documenting violations and providing practical support to journalists working in hostile environments.
In Russia, the group has consistently denounced attacks on independent reporting, censorship, and the targeting of reporters who investigate sensitive topics such as corruption, abuses of power and the war in Ukraine.
