The government of Iraq has suspended the licenses of 10 satellite TV channels operating in the country accusing them of in sighting violence and reporting misinformation. All the channels whose licenses have been suspended are considered by the Shia led government to be pro Sunni. The action follows nearly a week of unrest in which more than 100 have been killed following an Iraqi army raid on a protest camp in the northern city of Kirkuk.
'Misinformation'
'Misinformation'
More than 20 people died at the camp, in the northern town of Hawija, near Kirkuk, prompting two Sunni ministers to announce their resignation. Demonstrations spread to Ramadi and Falluja in western Iraq as well as towns and cities elsewhere in the north.
The protesters accused the Shia-led government of discriminating against Sunnis and demanded the resignation of Mr Maliki, himself a Shia.
The Iraqi Communication and Media Commission said in a statement that the satellite channels had "exaggerated things, given misinformation and called for breaking the law and attacking Iraqi security forces".
BBC Baghdad correspondent Rafid Jaboori says most of the 10 channels are Sunni-owned while Qatar-based al-Jazeera is perceived as more pro-Sunni in its Arabic-language reporting in Iraq.
No comments:
Post a Comment