Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Press TV ban tantamount to human rights violation


By: Dr. Ismail Salami

Source: Press TV

The recent EU move to take Press TV off the air is to be seen as part of a continued process of media violation against this alternative channel.

On Monday, UK-based Eutelsat, which is run by Michel de Rosen, a Zionist Israeli-French, stopped carrying Press TV and some 18 other channels from Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), a move which Gary Follows, Arqiva Head of Public Relations, says is a “result of reinforced EU Council sanctions and repeated requests by France's broadcasting authority for the permanent switch-off of the Iranian channels.” UK-based Arqiva is the service supplier which held the IRIB contract.

The first attempts to deprive ever-increasing European audience of accessing Press TV started in the UK when British office of communication (Ofcom) initiated a shrewd ruse to get of rid of the channel and technically put an end to an alternative critical voice once and for all. To this end, they needed a political tool. And who could be a better choice than Maziar Bahari who had already filed a lawsuit against the channel for airing a 10-second sound bite, which was part of an interview with him in 2009.

In October 2011, Ofcom said Press TV had violated its broadcasting codes by airing the interview. The ruling led to the imposition of a 100,000-pound fine on the channels and its subsequent removal from the Sky platform. This was while in a number of future interviews with other media outlets, Bahari had readily confirmed what he had said in the 10-second sound bite, i.e. he was the person who had sent the footage.

Besides, Ofcom had come under intense criticism on the part of the British Royal family who had taken umbrage at Press TV for reporting and criticizing them for their extravagant lifestyle and support for the regional autocratic regimes. The office of the Royal Family had even sent letters to Press TV office on several occasions and urged them to stop criticizing the Queen. Therefore, the wound was an old one and far from healing and they had to prick their deadly venom into those whom they considered thorns in their sides.

On the other hand, Ofcom later claimed that the move was largely motivated by ministers. However, a Wikileaks cable reveals how the Foreign Office told an American diplomat in 2010 that the government was "exploring ways to limit the operations of … Press TV".

At the time, the department warned the US that, "UK law sets a very high standard for denying licenses to broadcasters. Licenses can only be denied in cases where national security is threatened, or if granting a license would be contrary to Britain's obligations under international law. Currently neither of these standards can be met with respect to Press TV, but if further sanctions are imposed on Iran in the coming months a case may be able to be made on the second criterion."

At all events, Germany followed suit and a court in Germany ordered the removal of the channel off a satellite platform despite two previous rulings issued in favor of the alternative channel.

So, the Munich media regulatory body, BLM, took Press TV off the satellite platform in April.

And third came French media regulator, the Conseil Superieur de l’Audiovisuel (CSA) which kept repeating calls for removing the channel.

Press TV says, “This is not the first time that the West is trying to silence the alternative media and stop Iranian broadcasters from commenting on what is going on truly across the world. But this time what is most surprising is that the latest instance of media crackdown comes from the new Nobel Peace laureate.”

Sanctions against the Islamic Republic and exerting brutal pressures on people are per se illegal in the light of international laws. However, muzzling a media outlet and justifying this act in the name of sanctions is a source of shame for the EU. In fact, the EU’s incoherent perception and poor handling of truth is a move enormously to be deplored.

Needless to say, this is an egregious instance of the violation of human rights which the West moralizes about so vehemently. Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights clearly states that “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” It is long since the intelligent international community has come to discern the paradoxical attitude of the West in defining the concept of freedom of speech and they have figured out for themselves how tolerant the West may be when the sanctities of the Muslims are shamelessly violated and how intolerant they can be when the truth is daringly thrown into their faces.

Only recently the West kept silent on the anti-Islam movie and caricatures and even justified the blasphemy in the light of freedom of speech but when it came to Press TV, they were not only intolerant towards the alternative channel but they also put all their efforts into a seemingly long-entertained plot to silence the voice.

This is how freedom of speech is defined for the benefits of a privileged few and how the tentacles of Zionist imperialism are by slow gradation spread over an entirety beyond which hope is desperately turned into but a flickering ray for those who wish to hear the truth.

BUT truth will prevail.
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About: Dr. Ismail Salami

AKA Ali Salami, Dr. Ismail Salami is an internationally published author of several books and hundreds of articles. In his articles, Salami examines the historical developments that impact national relations today, and the way western people view Iran. He holds a PhD in Shakespeare Studies and is the author of Human Rights in Islam and Iran, Cradle of Civilization. His writings have been translated into dozens of languages. More Press TV articles by Ismail Salami
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Press TV viewers slam EU move to ban Iran channels as illegal, hypocritical


Source: Press TV

Press TV viewers have condemned as illegal and hypocritical the ban imposed by the European officials on the broadcast of several Iranian satellite channels, saying that the move throws into question the West’s freedom of speech claims.

“Where is the freedom of speech and press in Europe? Hypocrites! When it is against Islam then it is freedom of the press and speech in Europe. Lift the ban now. Double hypocrites. This is the reason why God is punishing Europe with Economic crisis. It will NOT end soon until they acknowledge the truth,” a reader said.

Another viewer said, “Shame on the European Commission. They who have just been awarded the Nobel Price for peace are now suppressing freedom of speech and expression which are essential tools to report on breach of peace and the warmongers!”

“This European's illegal, illogical, uncivilized measure indicates its serious desperation and panic in facing the growing influence of Press TV across the world,” another comment read.

“Never there was freedom of expression in US or EU, only selective loose talk is branded as Freedom of Expression,” wrote a viewer.

European satellite provider Eutelsat SA has stopped the broadcast of several Iranian satellite channels, including Press TV, al-Alam, Jam-e-Jam 1 and 2, Sahar 1 and 2, Islamic Republic of Iran News Network, Quran TV, and the Arabic-language al-Kawthar following an order by the European Commission.

In a flagrant violation of the freedom of speech, the company ordered media services company, Arqiva, to take the Iranian satellite channels off one of its Hot Bird frequencies on Monday.

Following the move by the European company, Press TV launched a Facebook petition to protect the news channel across Europe.

The EU is claiming that the move is aimed at punishing Iran for violating human rights. However, experts believe that Press TV has raised the anger of certain European countries for covering thorny issues including anti-austerity protests.

The decision follows months of jamming of Iranian channels by European satellite companies.

Iranian news channels affected by the decision only sought to break the West’s monopoly on news broadcast by reflecting the voice of the oppressed people to the world.

The illegal move by Eutelsat SA, therefore, is a step to silence all alternative news outlets representing the voice of the voiceless.

Observers believe that the European Union does not respect freedom of speech, and spares no efforts to silence the voice of alternative media outlets.

Technical experts say the jamming was carried out by British technicians.
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Zionists to blame for EU Press TV ban: American analyst


Source: Press TV

Iran is a controversial nation to some. To others, be they the 120 nations of the Non-Aligned Movement or nations that believe Iran is targeted for its failure to bow to the will of a very real worldwide conspiracy, Iran is an ancient empire that has reached for greatness under the most difficult of circumstances.

In a world of lies, and we are lied to, not just by the “pop culture press” but by armies of seemingly friendly faces who pour poison in our ears, today is a “big win” for many. Iran will be silenced to the people of Europe.

The choice, we are told, is one of a company, Eutelsat Communications. It claims that Iran, 19 news and information sources, some clearly among the best, most dependable and trustworthy in the world, will be silenced.

This is not all.

First of all, the reason given, that Eutelsat is following sanctions is a lie. There are no sanctions against Press TV or other news sources, no UN vote supports it and I would like to see the issue taken before the General Assembly.

Of course, it might be taken before the UN Security Council, five real members and five “keep quiet and don’t bother anyone” members, who make all decisions for the UN. Two members, Russia and China vetoed sanctions against Syria.

We ask them to support freedom of speech for Iran by voting sanctions against any nation that uses services from Eutelsat, a company that has decided to stop acting as a satellite provider and now decides who and what can be heard.

Thus far, Europe is silent; no one has said a word. Is Europe a continent of errant children who must be coddled? Of course it is, where nation after nation in the name of political correctness and “war guilt” have formed petty socialist police states in order to take care of populations long deemed incapable of discernment or any sign of self-realization and adulthood.

There are more lies.

Eutelsat is a person, not a company. Eutelsat says it is European, but it is actually Israeli. French sounding “Michel de Rosen” runs Eutelsat, an Israeli citizen, company with Israeli stockholders, a company long dictated to by extremist groups within Israel, the militant ultra-nationalists of the Likudist regime of Netanyahu.

Eutelsat is an intelligence operation as are most communications billing companies, mobile phone providers and the infamous “choke points” that make sure all communication, all progress, all privacy is subject to what is allowed. Most of such “chokepoints,” companies like “Google” for one, are Israeli owned. Call it a coincidence.

When Eutelsat chose to choke off Iran and end free speech in Europe, many spoke up but none pointed a finger at Israel and their desire to paint Iran with a “black brush.” The armies of “shills” were sent out to complain about violations of free speech.

One organization after another, all controlled opposition, part of Israel’s “game theory warfare,” rose in self-righteous anger and, as usual, pointed in the wrong direction.

Though you can tell the truth in America, the chances of doing it in the “pop culture press” or on the “mainstream media” are about as likely as meeting a dinosaur on Mars. This is a private joke with fellow writer and good friend Kevin Barrett.

Iran, however, lets me say things that aren’t always tame, aren’t always favorable but are true just the same. I am thanked for telling the truth.

Today, I saw a television show. American radio host, Mike Harris, former candidate for governor of Arizona, spoke out on the company, Eutelsat and its Israeli ownership and management. As soon as he mentioned Israel and began a factual presentation based on advanced research of corporate governance and the company’s previous history of silencing free speech in other nations, Harris was subjected to attack and disruption by a fellow guest.

I recognized the tactics employed by those tasked with ending free speech when they aren’t in a position to have those who tell the truth jailed or murdered. They simply babble, make fools of themselves, anything to take the focus off the real criminals.

However, though those who tell the truth may be killed by evil men, destroyed by the wealthy and powerful, the truth, at least today, isn’t illegal and censorship can’t be imposed without a whimper, without a whisper, unnoticed, unseen, the truth, the right to free speech hardly missed.

Know your enemy. Recognize him or her for their weapons. Know we are fighting a war of deception and many who claim to be a voice of freedom and justice are very much the opposite.

When information is twisted and withheld, by a hooting bigot or a Mossad thug in corporate attire, it is for one reason and one reason only, the spread of evil.

We resist.
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About: Gordon Duff

Gordon Duff is a Marine Vietnam veteran, a combat infantryman, and Senior Editor at Veterans Today. His career has included extensive experience in international banking along with such diverse areas as consulting on counter insurgency, defense technologies or acting as diplomatic representative for UN humanitarian and economic development efforts. Gordon Duff has traveled to over 80 nations. His articles are published around the world and translated into a number of languages. He is regularly on TV and radio, a popular and sometimes controversial guest. More Press TV articles by Gordon Duff
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2012 Oct 14

Eutelsat set to take Iran satellite channels off air


Source: Press TV

European satellite provider Eutelsat SA is set to pull the plug on several satellite channels and radio stations broadcast from Iran.

The company has ordered media services company, Arqiva, to take the Iranian satellite channels off one of its Hot Bird frequencies.

The Iranian channels being taken off the air include Press TV, al-Alam, Jam-e-Jam 1 and 2, Sahar 1 and 2, Islamic Republic of Iran News Network, Quran TV, and the Arabic-language al-Kawthar.

The ban will also affect the satellite broadcast of several Iranian radio stations.

The move follows months of jamming of Iranian channels by European satellite companies. It also shows that the European Union does not respect freedom of speech, and spares no efforts to silence the voice of alternative media outlets.

Iranian news channels affected by the decision only aimed to break the West’s monopoly on news broadcast by reflecting the voice of the oppressed people to the world.

The illegal move by Eutelsat SA, therefore, is a step to mute all alternative news outlets representing the voice of the voiceless.

The Iranian channels, however, reserve the right to take legal action against Eutelsat’s decision in order to restore their rights and compensate for any material and spiritual damages thereof to the full extent possible under international law.

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