A day after Facebook blocked a page run by state-funded RT television, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Tuesday denounced the act by citing it as another example of pressure against the country's media and free speech but restrained from taking action against foreign media in the country.
Addressing media after meeting with his Slovak counterpart Miroslav Lajcak, Lavrov said, "The recent suspension of the page is definitely another example of pressure against Russian media and against free speech."
When asked whether Moscow would retaliate against foreign media in Russia, Lavrov said that one should not employ the "tooth for a tooth" principle, Lavrov was quoted in Russia Today.
"The fact that we still have not done so is not only testimony to our restraint, but also to our strength. We are an open society. We should not employ the tooth for a tooth principle," he said.
"We should focus on maintaining comfortable working conditions for foreign journalists in Russia, while at the same time firmly defending the rights of our journalists abroad," he added.
Yesterday, Facebook had blocked a page related to the RT television in English "In the Now" immediately after CNN reported that the project had been sponsored by the Kremlin.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)