Head of the Media and Communications Committee MP Hassan Fadlallah said Monday that the decision to suspend providing services to al-Manar TV channel by satellite communications operator, Arabsat, is “a political decision targeting Lebanon’s freedom of press and violating its sovereignty.”
In this regard, he called for ending all forms of extortion authorities practiced by some countries against the Lebanese media.
In a press conference held following the committee’s meeting, the MP explained that Arabsat’s decision did not go through the usual mechanisms, noting that the concerned parties in Lebanon were not informed of the measure.
“This step is a violation of the contracts signed with the Lebanese government and al-Manar channel,” he added.
Accordingly, Fadlallah revealed that the committee issued a recommendation to file a complaint before the International Telecommunication Union to protest the suspension of al-Mayadeen and al-Manar broadcasting.