The Lithuanian Radio and Television Commission (LRTK), having obtained permission from the Regional Administrative Court, decided to block 23 websites that were illegally providing television programme distribution services online to consumers in the Republic of Lithuania.

In accordance with this decision, the LRTK issued binding instructions to electronic communications service providers to block access to the aforementioned websites.

Monitoring carried out by the LRTK revealed that most of these websites were distributing television programmes whose availability in the Republic of Lithuania has been suspended due to prohibited war propaganda and incitement to war, as well as the application of European Union restrictive measures.

“The LRTK takes its obligation to implement European Union sanctions very seriously. The Commission also applies the measures provided for in legislation to restrict the dissemination of disinformation and propaganda originating from hostile states,” says LRTK Chairman Mantas Martišius.

According to the LRTK, content of this nature contributes to the spread of disinformation and propaganda and poses a threat to national security.

It was also established that the operators of the aforementioned websites had not notified the LRTK about the start of providing television programme distribution services online to consumers in the Republic of Lithuania, as required by the Law on the Provision of Information to the Public, and therefore the services were provided illegally.

Taking into account the established factual and legal circumstances, the LRTK applied to the Regional Administrative Court, which on 13 January 2026 granted permission to issue binding instructions to electronic communications service providers.

Pursuant to the court’s permission, the LRTK obliged electronic communications service providers to block access to the specified websites within five days using DNS blocking.

Users attempting to access the blocked websites will be redirected to the LRTK information page stop.rtk.lt, which provides information about the restrictions in place.

It should be noted that the LRTK has been issuing binding instructions to electronic communications service providers regarding the illegal distribution of television programmes on the internet since 1 January 2018, when the Commission was granted this function.

Meanwhile, the distribution of television programmes whose availability in the Republic of Lithuania has been suspended due to prohibited war propaganda and incitement to war, in accordance with European Union restrictive measures, has been prohibited since 24 February 2022.

Since then, such decisions have been applied consistently in accordance with the applicable legislation and court rulings, including in cases where television programmes banned in Lithuania were distributed online.