Paris, January 23 (RHC)-- The television channel 'RT France' has announced its closure following the blocking of its accounts in France, according to a press release issued by the media.  It was noted that in January, 123 employees of the TV channel may lose their salaries, and also join the ranks of the unemployed.

"After five years of perseverance, the authorities have achieved their goal: the closure of RT France.  Under the pretext of a package of nine sanctions against Russia, which do not mention us, but only our shareholder in the parent company, the General Directorate of the Treasury decided to freeze the bank accounts of RT France, which makes our work impossible", says the note.

The funds of RT France are frozen at the request of the General Directorate of the Treasury, due to the 9th package of sanctions which does not target RT France.  Our channel can no longer continue its activity. 

The document assures that the blocking of the channel calls into question the future that awaits independent media in France.   According to the text, RT France "since its launch" has been the target of persecution and censorship, "not to mention the use of false information" for these purposes.

The day before, the head of RT France, Xenia Fyodorova, denounced that the accounts of the editorial office in France were blocked, and the bank assured that it had taken this measure by order of the French authorities.