On 23 May 2018 the Radio and Television Commission of Lithuania (hereinafter referred to as the RTCL) decided to issue binding instructions to network service providers to eliminate the possibility of access to the information on websites that carry out the activities of the distribution of television programmes on the Internet, about which the RTCL was not notified in accordance with the legal acts.

Having detected that distribution services of television programmes for the users of the Republic of Lithuania are provided illegally on six Internet websites (www.samorodok.tv, www.onelike.tv, www.freeintertv.com, www.tvtune.net, www.lttv.us, www.megogo.net), on 14 May this year the RTCL appealed to the Vilnius Regional Administrative Court with a request to give permission to issue binding instructions to the network service providers to eliminate access to the information on the websites mentioned above.

Such a permit was issued by the court on 16 May.

According to the provisions of Paragraph 1 of Article 33 of the Law on the Provision of Information to the Public, persons who wish to engage in the activity of distribution of television programmes on the Internet for the users of the Republic of Lithuania must notify the RTCL before the start of such activity by submitting an approved form.

Having started such activities without notifying the RTCL as it is required by the law, the RTCL is entitled to issue binding instructions to network service providers to eliminate the possibility of access to websites that engage in illegal activities.

Persons trying to connect to the mentioned websites will be directed to the special RTCL website stop.rtk.lt.

All relevant information on this subject is also available on the RTCL website at https://www.rtk.lt/netisetos-functionalpersons-illegal-online-service-providers/