Russian President Vladimir Putin stressed the importance of freedom of speech and information in today's address to a media summit, perceived as absurd by critics of his policy of eliminating dissent, DPA reported, quoted by BTA.
„At a time when the complex process of multipolarity is developing, it is particularly important to protect the principles of information reliability,”, Putin said in a video address to participants of the BRICS media summit in Moscow on the occasion of the 120th anniversary of the establishment of the state news agency TASS.
„True freedom of speech, which reflects different opinions, makes it possible to seek compromises and common approaches to solving world problems,” Putin added.
The media play an important role in building a just world order by giving people an "objective and unadulterated picture of the world," Putin said.
However, Russians hardly enjoy freedom of speech and the media in the country's increasingly authoritarian climate, DPA notes.
TASS, established in 1904, is the country's largest news agency and is seen as the government's mouthpiece.
Media that do not conform to the demands and values of the Kremlin are banned and closed, and opponents of the government are prosecuted by the judicial system.
The Kremlin has redoubled its efforts against critics of the war against Ukraine, which began in 2022, and many Russian groups opposed to the war have been designated as undesirable organizations.
Once identified as undesirable, they are effectively banned, affecting both the media and human rights organizations.