Iraq extends ban on Al-Jazeera
The Iraqi government Saturday extended a ban on Al-Jazeera television and sealed the Baghdad office of the Arab news channel, charging it had not complied with a temporary ban clamped on grounds of incitement to violence.
Al-Jazeera expressed its outrage at the move and a reported raid by Iraqi security forces on its Baghdad bureau to seal the building.
On August 5, the Qatar-based news channel was ordered to close its Baghdad office for a month on charges of advocating violence, inciting hatred and racial tension.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. "During this temporary closure the government of Iraq had expected the Al-Jazeera management to offer an explanation to the presented allegations or to officially request a description of the possible threat that the channel may be posing. However, none of this has happened," said a statement from the office of interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi.
Comments