The United Nations in Moldova expresses serious concern about the withdrawal by the Broadcasting Coordination Council on April 5 of the license of the television broadcaster Noile Idei Televizate (NIT). According to a press release from the UN Office in Moldova, the Council based its decision on a number of criteria which would evidently not meet legality tests for the radical measure of termination of license, Info-Prim Neo reports. “The decision raises serious questions under core provisions of international law, in particular Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights. In addition, insofar as NIT has been one of Moldova's primary media outlets in Russian, the decision is potentially destabilizing and sends a troubling signal to Moldova's minority language communities. The Moldovan Government has recently stated to the UN Human Rights Council that, “Since 2009 the Government undertook targeted actions to ensure the universal freedom of expression and avoid any limitations in journalist activities or interference within editorial policy. Local TV and radio stations broadcast programs in languages of national minorities, newspapers and magazines are disseminated also in minority languages.” Until terminated, NIT broadcast predominantly in Russian, and was widely seen as affiliated with the opposition Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova. The Broadcasting Coordination Council withdrew the license of NIT for failing to provide a sufficient plurality or diversity of sources in reporting on subject which may be envisioned to generate conflict, as well as for failing to maintain the principles of socio-political equilibrium, equidistance and objectivity. The decision was applied immediately and NIT stopped broadcasting on April 7. The United Nations in Moldova urges the Moldovan authorities to restore without delay the license of NIT.