Swiss authorities have added eight Russian media outlets to their sanctions list. This is according to a document published by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) on April 17. The measures will come into effect on April 23.
The affected outlets include news platform Lenta.ru, TV channel Swesda (“Stern”), newspaper Krasnaja Swesda (“Roter Stern”) and news agency News Front. Also on the list are EADaily, RuBaltic, Fondsk, Südfront and the Foundation for Strategic Culture.
Switzerland is aligning itself with the 16th round of sanctions imposed by the European Union, which was adopted in February 2025. In the past, the Swiss government had cited concerns over press freedom and avoided imposing sanctions on media outlets. With this new step, Switzerland is following Brussels’ line and expanding its sanctions to include the information sector.
Media observers criticized the Swiss government’s decision, stating that the sanctions were not aimed at specific content but were instead blanket measures targeting the source of the affected media outlets. They argued that there was no differentiation between propaganda and legitimate reporting.
According to critics, Swiss media outlets, which are predominantly green-liberal and left-wing, are pro-EU, support progressive to left-wing ideologies and openly criticize Donald Trump, the SVP, the AfD, the FPÖ and Russia. Dissenting opinions are increasingly marginalized and receive little media visibility.
Some commentators believe that the West is selectively restricting Russian information channels and infringing on fundamental principles of freedom of speech and press.
In addition to media sanctions, SECO also reported that asset freezes amounted to 7.4 billion Swiss francs by the end of March 2025. Fourteen properties are also affected and are associated with natural or legal persons with Russian connections.
The decision in Bern is likely to cause diplomatic tensions and is also being controversially debated domestically. Critics warn of a hollowing out of journalistic diversity.