Iraq suspends ten channels of television "for inciting violence" - CounterPunch

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Iraq authorities today announced they have suspended work permits ten satellite television channels for allegedly urging sectarian violence.

In a statement, the agency said Iraqi Information and Communications has decided to end the work of ten licenses considering that television broadcast a speech inciting sectarian violence and lacks objectivity.

catarí affected channels are the local Al Jazeera and Al Sharqiya, Al Sharqiya News, Al Babelia, Al Fallujah, Baghdad, Al Taguir, Al Garbiya, Salahedin and Al Anwar 2.

According to authorities, these televisions have made exaggerated coverage and away from the objectivity of the events in Al Hueiya the past 23 and 24.

The statement refers to Tuesday’s assault by the army and police to a square regularly hosts Sunni protesters protests in Al Hueiya, in the northern province of Kirkuk, where 26 people died and 155 were wounds.

After that incident, more than a hundred people have been killed in recent days in attacks and clashes between security forces and Sunni tribal militias across the country.

The note adds that banned channels “have urged destabilize the civilian system and the democratic process in Iraq, and encourage criminal activity by making calls to attack security forces.”

According to Iraqi authorities, these televisions have made a “propaganda clearly illegal elements in the Constitution because they are related to terrorist organizations” and have issued programs that threaten national unity.

The text concludes with a warning to those channels that if they continue with their work, although it has suspended the licenses, will be pursued by the Ministry of Interior and its officials in the provinces.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki denounced the sectarian violence that hit Iraq years ago has returned to the country “not by chance but with plans studied” and warned that sectarianism has no borders.

In a speech at the opening of the International Islamic Conference for Dialogue and Outreach, Al Maliki said that “discord (sectarian) knocks the doors of all” and that if he returns to Iraq is like coming to the region .

(With information from Reuters)

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