AL Decision stopping broadcast of Syrian Channels Condemned as Unjust, and Unaccepted

Representatives of Russia, China, Cuba and Venezuela to the UN Human Rights Council have criticized the Arab League (AL) decision on asking Arabsat and Nilesat administrations to stop the broadcast of the official and unofficial Syrian TV satellite channels.

” This decision is one of the most dangerous violations of the freedom of expression,” the representatives said Thursday, calling on the AL to withdraw this “unjust, condemned and unaccepted decision” as they described it.

For his part, Syria’s Permanent Representative to the UN Human Rights Council, Faisal al-Hamwi stressed Syria’s keenness on respecting the right of expression and freedom of journalists who adhere to the Code of Honor and objectivity and enter the country through regular and legal means, not those who infiltrate in coordination with the terrorists.

He affirmed that the AL decision constitutes a flagrant violation of the principles of the media work, freedom of getting the information and document of organizing the Arab satellite broadcasting.

UN Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression, Frank La Rue, said that the decision of the AL to stop the broadcast of Syrian TV channels contradicts with the principles of freedom of expression.

He reminded of the necessity of not impeding the freedom of journalists and satellite broadcasting by any country, especially in such circumstances which Syria is passing through, where the fact of what is going on should be conveyed to the public opinion.

Earlier, the UN Human Rights Council report on the freedom of expression touched upon the situation in Syria and targeting journalists by certain sides, calling for more freedom for mass media in the world.