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Al-Manar condemns German ban as unjust
Al-Manar condemns German ban as unjust
BEIRUT: The head of Hizbullah's Al-Manar satellite TV station said Saturday that the partial ban imposed on the network by Germany "violates international laws protecting media freedom." German Interior Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble announced the partial ban on Friday, saying the move stemmed from the station's failure to foster global "understanding," in violation of the German Constitution.
According to the ninth article of the German Constitution, organizations are disallowed from operating with the intent of violating "international understanding."
Al-Manar's director, Abdallah Kassir, said in a statement that the German government had acted on a request from "Zionist lobbies" in Europe by deciding to ban broadcasts of the Arabic-language network.
The ban extends to Al-Manar's radio affiliate, Al-Nour, and it parent organization, the Lebanon Media Group, all considered to be mouthpieces for Hizbullah. Under the ban, Al-Manar will not be available in hotels, and controls will be placed on the network's advertising and fundraising.
But viewers will still be permitted to watch the channel at private residences
An article in the Jerusalem Post published on Wednesday quoted Israeli Public Security Minister Avi Dichter as saying that Schaeuble had informed him of the move during a recent trip to Berlin.
The US interdicted Al-Manar satellite station in 2004, placing it on its "Terrorist Exclusion List" for what US officials called inciting "terrorist" activity.
Paris also banned the station in 2004, with French officials citing alleged "anti-Semitism" and the network's advocating of resistance as justification.
Al-Manar is one of the most popular television networks in Lebanon. It launched its satellite division in 2000, the year of the Israeli withdrawal from most of South Lebanon, and has gained increasing popularity throughout the region - thanks in part to broadcasts highlighting the Palestinian cause and opposing the US-led invasion of Iraq. - The Daily Star
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24-11-2008, 11:43 PM
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