The recent coverage of the death of journalist Julia Marin from Libertatea on Romanian television caused a stormy reaction in the press and civil society – hundreds of press services, associations and personalities signed Libertatea’s appeal against the speech that incites hatred and discrimination practiced by the television station. However, revoking the RTV license is too drastic a step, believes Catalin Tolontan, editorial coordinator of Libertatea and GSP.

“For years, CNA has been lenient. Hate speech on some televisions has reached such levels that it antagonizes and complicates even the idea of ​​communication between us. Now, however, CNAs are being called to go to the other extreme and take drastic measures: suspending their broadcasting licenses. In European countries, a decision was made to suspend licenses in the case of Russian stations, which in these situations also caused protests by European organizations fighting for freedom of speech. What does the law say in Romania?” writes Catalin Tolontan in an article published on Saturday by Libertatea, in which he clarifies that the text represents his personal point of view and not that of the editors.

He says that in the last few days, more and more people have been calling for Romanian TV’s license to be revoked, citing the example of former prime minister Dacian Ciolos, who wrote on Friday that “Romanian TV should be shut down.”

“Depriving the license of a TV channel in a European country is such a radical act that I categorically disagree with it. I don’t feel the slightest sympathy for RTV,” Tolontan says.

The journalist mentions that the TV channel “now, night after night, staged a scene with my image on the screen. They demand that the prosecutors take me away.”

“On Friday night, they said that we are an ‘enemy gang’, ‘Soros troops.’ These are my thoughts. RTV has the right to express them. However, often in the show they end up with discrimination and incitement.

We are already witnessing not the expression of opinions, but something else. Despite this, I do not believe that closing down Romanian television or any station broadcasting today is a democratic, proportionate and legal decision. Let’s look together at the law according to which television and radio work,” says Tolontan, who is also reviewing articles of the law with the conditions under which a television license can be revoked.

Read Cătălin Tolontan’s commentary in full on Libertatea.ro

SEE ALSO:

• The testimony of journalist Mihai Voynei from the Recorder about journalist Yulia Marin: “A girl who was 32 years old enough to prove everything she had to prove”

• CALL: Hundreds of newsrooms, medical associations, NGOs and activists from Romania protest against hate speech on Romanian television after the death of journalist Julia Marin

• Victor Chutaku’s first reaction after the attacks in the case of the death of journalist Yulia Marin