Ofcom fined Al Arabiya Channel for 120,000 £ for broadcasting an offensive program

The Journalist Support Committee has received the announcement of the Office of Communications' -Ofcom- final decision in the case against Al Arabiya satellite channel on the background of its broadcasting a program that harms the Secretary-General of Haq Movement for Liberty and Democracy, Mr. Hassan Mushaima.

On Thursday, January 25, 2017, the Commission decided to impose a financial sanction of £ 120,000 on the channel for violating the broadcast regulations set by Ofcom by broadcasting material on a program, dated 27 February 2016, highlighting the popular movement that broke out in Bahrain in February 2011. In the program, Mr. Mushaima appears detained making statements about the circumstances of his arrest and conviction. Ofcom found the footage broadcasted by the channel Of Mr. Mushaima was filmed three months ago by the Independent Commission of Inquiry in Bahrain to extract confessions under torture from detainees, including Mr. Mushaima, which undermines the credibility of the interview conducted by Al Arabiya Channel with Mr. Mushaima, who later called for the abolition of the verdict of his conviction.

On 24 April 2017, Ofcom issued a resolution confirming that the program broadcasted by Al Arabiya violated Rules 7.1 and 8.1 of the Code of Conduct for Broadcasting.

As part of its campaign this year to tackle false and misleading news, the Committee welcomes the decision of Ofcom in preventing the broadcast of offensive programs that violate professional standards of journalism and media.

The Committee reiterates its call on all media institutions and media personnel to abide by the professional rules of journalism in order to raise professional standards of the media, especially the Arab media, and to transmit the truth to the Arab public without any impurities.

Journalist Support Committee - Switzerland
26 December 2018