Arab media code 'risk to freedom'
Friday, February 15, 2008
Source: Al Jazeera and agencies
Al Jazeera has said a code adopted by Arab states to govern satellite broadcasting could shackle freedom of expression.
Arab information ministers meeting on Tuesday in Cairo endorsed the charter, which allows host countries to annul or suspend the licence of any broadcaster found in violation of the rules it sets.
Wadah Khanfar, director-general of Al Jazeera, said in a statement issued on Friday: "Any code of ethics or governance for journalistic practices should emerge, and be governed, from within the profession and not be imposed externally by political institutions.
"Al Jazeera considers the adoption of the charter ... a risk to the freedom of expression in the Arab world."
All members of the 22-member Arab League had voted in favour of the document, with only Qatar and Lebanon opposing.
Qatar said it was "still studying the document" and that it did not "currently want to adopt" it for legal rather than political reasons.
Al Jazeera has faced reporting bans in several Arab countries including Kuwait and Saudi Arabia over the past decade.
Iraq also banned Al Jazeera Arabic from reporting in Iraq three years ago - accusing it of fomenting sectarianism - but Al Jazeera English has a presence in Baghdad.
Read the whole article, "Arab media code 'risk to freedom'"~ Al Jazeera.net
Friday, February 15, 2008
Source: Al Jazeera and agencies
Al Jazeera has said a code adopted by Arab states to govern satellite broadcasting could shackle freedom of expression.
Arab information ministers meeting on Tuesday in Cairo endorsed the charter, which allows host countries to annul or suspend the licence of any broadcaster found in violation of the rules it sets.
Wadah Khanfar, director-general of Al Jazeera, said in a statement issued on Friday: "Any code of ethics or governance for journalistic practices should emerge, and be governed, from within the profession and not be imposed externally by political institutions.
"Al Jazeera considers the adoption of the charter ... a risk to the freedom of expression in the Arab world."
All members of the 22-member Arab League had voted in favour of the document, with only Qatar and Lebanon opposing.
Qatar said it was "still studying the document" and that it did not "currently want to adopt" it for legal rather than political reasons.
Al Jazeera has faced reporting bans in several Arab countries including Kuwait and Saudi Arabia over the past decade.
Iraq also banned Al Jazeera Arabic from reporting in Iraq three years ago - accusing it of fomenting sectarianism - but Al Jazeera English has a presence in Baghdad.
Read the whole article, "Arab media code 'risk to freedom'"~ Al Jazeera.net
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