The Islamic regime of Iran’s English language Press TV has had its UK licence revoked by media regulator, Ofcom. It will be removed from Sky on 20 January. Celebrate good times, come on…
Ofcom finally acknowledged that Tehran has editorial oversight on Press TV. No shit.
Of course Press TV has called the decision ‘a clear example of censorship’ but it’s not. As I have said before Press TV is an arm of the regime’s intelligence service – it’s not press in any way shape or form. The press is banned in Iran unless it is run and approved by the state and even then many outlets are banned for transgressing rules.
The evidence against Press TV is damning. In one case, they filmed a Newsweek journalist imprisoned in Tehran’s Evin prison reading a forced ‘confession’ and knew it was forced. Bahari, who was freed after 118 days, was arrested while covering the 2009 protests in Iran and was told he would be executed if he did not confess.
Also Press TV ‘interviewed’ Iran stoning case Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani on a number of occassions and a ‘reporter’ was even heard ordering her to confess under duress. They also did a ‘documentary’ on Sakineh’s case where she and her son were kept in their home for three days in order to re-enact the supposed ‘murder’ of Sakineh’s husband with her son acting as his father. The two had been promised to be released if they agreed to do the incriminating documentary. by the way, in the same documentary, they accused Mina Ahadi (coordinator of the save Sakineh campaign) of charges that would be punishable with execution in Iran.
Another well-known example is their ‘documentary’ on the killing of Neda Agha-Soltan at a protest in Tehran. They first said she was alive, even doing a phone interview with someone claiming to be Neda, and then blamed her death on the doctor who tried to save her and the BBC amongst others.
Here’s a clip where Lauren Booth defends working at Press TV whilst I challenge her. Well now she, George Galloway and their ilk will have to find some respectable work, but I wouldn’t hold my breath.
(Via Terry Sanderson)
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