Arabic channel “suspended” by Nilesat
November 29, 2018
By Chris Forrester
MENA viewers have reportedly lost access to an Arabic news channel over alleged violations of rules covering sectarian transmissions.
A Yemeni opposition channel, Al Masirah, has been dropped. Yemeni Information Minister Muammar al-Eryani confirmed via the Yemini SABA news agency that Al Masirah channel belonging to the Houthi militias has been suspended from broadcasting on Nilesat over accusations of running sectarian programming.
The minister said that the suspension of the channel from broadcasting came after the efforts exerted by the legitimate government represented by the Ministry of Information and supported by the Arab coalition.
The minister said in a statement to SABA that the ministry is also seeking to stop previously official channels that have been hijacked by the Houthis militia in Sanaa, which include the Yemen, Aden and Sheba outlets. “These are false copies of government channels that broadcast their sectarian poison and incite violence and hatred among Yemeni society,” the ministry said.
Local reports that other channels carried by Eutelsat (Al Masirah/Al-Masiriyah) have been dropped are firmly denied by Eutelsat.