Egypt bans Libyan channels
July 11, 2011
By Chris Forrester
An Egyptian Court has formally ordered satellite operator Nilesat to remove 14 Libyan state-backed channels from transmission. MENA, Egypt’s official news agency, reports that the orders came from Cairo’s Administrative Court.
Lawsuits issued by Libyan nationals, as well as Egyptian lawyers, and presented to the court state that the channels are being used by President Ghadaffi to “incite violence against rebels trying to overthrow him” and are further accused of deliberately false reporting regarding Libya’s state of affairs.
Nilesat has been under pressure for some time to remove certain controversial channels but with binding transmission contracts in place could do little without a formal Court order. The instruction was issued to the Nilesat board of directors, as well as Egypt’s General Authority for Investment which looks after the Egyptian Media Free Zone which includes the Nilesat operation.