Arabiya TV banned in Iraq over federalism law: speaker

Team Infidel

Forum Spin Doctor
Media: AFP
Byline: N/A
Date: 11 September 2006

BAGHDAD, Sept 11, 2006 (AFP) - Iraq's parliament speaker said Monday the
month-long closure of Al-Arabiya satellite television's offices in Baghdad
was due to its coverage of a controversial draft law on regional autonomy.

"It is an unjustified accusation against a community when Al-Arabiya says
that a draft submitted by the Shiites would lead to secession or the
division of Iraq," Mahmud al-Mashhadani told a news conference.

"The prime minister has been empowered by parliament to close any
journalistic office because we exist in a time of bloodletting," he said.

"We will punish provocative news that culminates in sectarianism," said
Mashhadani. Authorities would also be "stricter with local newspapers and
magazines because we want to reduce tension".

On Thursday, the cabinet closed the Baghdad bureau of the Dubai-based
Al-Arabiya offices for one month, citing a number of examples of biased
coverage by the station.

The closure came shortly after the dominant Shiite alliance in parliament
presented a draft law on regional autonomy that would allow Shiites to form
their own autonomous region in the south, similar to a northern Kurdish
region.

On Sunday, a reading of the law was delayed until September 19, following
opposition not just from the Sunnis, who fear the division of the country,
but from members of radical Shiite cleric's Moqtada al-Sadr's movement as
well.

Secular Shiite former premier Iyad Allawi's party has also opposed the law.

The banning of Al-Arabiya prompted condemnation from a number of
international press freedom organizations, and even an expression of concern
in the United States.

"We would urge the Iraqi government as well as other governments to err on
the side, whenever possible, of allowing for and promoting freedom of the
press and freedom of expression," said State Department spokesman Seth
McCormack.
 
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