Middle East: NGOs, Audio-visual council condemn charter limiting freedom of speech

After a meeting with representatives from the local and regional satellite television channels operating in Lebanon, the Lebanese National Audio-Visual Council declared that it will present an official objection to the upcoming Arab League Summit due to be held in Damascus later this month.

Referring to the recent closures Al-Hikmeh, Al-Baraka, and Al-zawraa stations, allegedly at the request of the US Administration, Abdel-Hadi Mahfouz, President of the Council warned against the vague provisions used in the charter that can lend itself to abuse. According to Mahfouz, the charter also conflicts with existing legislation in Lebanon and announced that the council is in the process of preparing a full legal analysis of the charter to be submitted to the Arab League.

One of the many concerns voiced was how, for instance, the charter grants Satellite providers the absolute right to stop any station whereas the Lebanese Broadcasting law 94/382 gives the Council the power to recommend to the Ministry of Information the suspension or closure of a station, a penalty that can be appealed. Mahfouz also mentioned that a joint media campaign will begin soon rejecting the charter.

ARTICLE 19 also salutes the 34 Arab human rights organisations in their "total rejection" of the document that aims to impose new restrictions on the Arab Satellite channels. According to a statement issued by the 34 organisations, "the charter contains statements that correspond to the same charges targeting opponents of the Arab governments".

ARTICLE 19 once again strongly condemns this document which stands in opposition to Article 32 of the Arab Charter on Human Rights that guarantees the right to information and freedom of expression. The Arab Charter on Human Rights was adopted by the Council of Ministers of the League of Arab States in 2004. ARTICLE 19 would also like to remind Arab League member states who are party to the ICCPR including Yemen, Jordan, Egypt amongst others of their obligations and pledges to human rights and freedom of expression in particular.

Background information:

The charter was agreed on Tuesday 12 February 2008 after a meeting joining the Ministers of Information of the Arab League states was convened in Cairo at the request of Egypt and Saudi Arabia. With the exception of Qatar and Lebanon, member states of the Arab League voted in favour of the non-binding document.

Although not legally binding, the document is a symbolic blow to freedom of expression and a regional attempt by Arab governments to restrict Satellite TV, the only avenue for free expression in most of the Arab World. The document is particularly dangerous in that it threatens to "withdraw, freeze or not renew the work permits of media which break the regulations".

"Stations are required not to offend the leaders or national and religious symbols in the Arab world…not to damage social harmony, national unity, public order or traditional values…to conform with the religious and ethical values of Arab society and take account of its family structure…refrain from broadcasting anything which calls into question God, the monotheistic religions, the prophets, sects or symbols of the various religious communities…and protect Arab identity from the harmful effects of globalization", are just some of the vague provisions prevalent in the document which if implemented will inevitably mute all forms of political expression and hinder the only avenue for free expression in the region-satellite TV."

NOTES TO EDITORS

For more information, please contact Sarah Richani, ARTICLE 19 Programme Officer, sarah@article19.org, +961 5431426.

ARTICLE 19 is an independent human rights organisation that works globally to protect and promote the right to freedom of expression. It takes its name from Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which guarantees free speech.