The National Human Rights Committee of the State of Qatar welcomes the second decision of the office of communications of the United Kingdom “Ofcom” to condemn Abu Dhabi TV channel for broadcasting a television interview that was recorded in the form of alleged confessions by Dr. Mahmoud Al-Jaida (Qatari citizen), during his arbitrary detention in Abu Dhabi prisons in 2013.
The decision stated that on June 28, 2017, Abu Dhabi TV channel, affiliated with the Abu Dhabi Media Company P.J.S.C “ADMC” and licensed by “Ofcom”, aired a recorded interview under the title “Confessions by a Qatari intelligence agent tarnishing the reputation of the UAE”. The decision considered that broadcasting the interview against the will of Dr. Al-Jaidah, who was tortured and ill-treated in prison, constitutes a grave breach of the principles of fairness and privacy set out in the Ofcom Broadcasting Code. The decision also provided for imposing legal sanctions on the channel for its serious violation of articles (7.1 and 8.1) of the Ofcom Broadcasting Code. Ofcom will determine the kinds of sanctions it will impose against Abu Dhabi channel in the coming weeks.
The National Human Rights Committee considers this decision, which was issued in less than a month after the first decision, an unequivocal condemnation of the systematic and grave violations committed by Abu Dhabi Channel and the UAE authorities of the fundamental principles and norms of human rights.
This second decision shows the low level of observance of Media ethics by the state-run Abu Dhabi Channel that has been used by the Emirati authorities as a tool to cover up human rights violations, tarnish the reputation of Qatari citizens, and make false imputations and incite violence against them.
Furthermore, this decision leaves no doubt about the involvement of the state-run Abu Dhabi Channel in these practices; it constitutes a legal basis to prosecute and bring to justice those satellite channels of the blockading countries that violate human rights conventions and Journalism ethics and standards. It also makes the condemnation of the state-owned Abu Dhabi Channel an example of impunity.
Over the years of the blockade, the National Human Rights Committee monitored and documented all violations by the media of the blockading countries and undertake to move forward with the prosecution of those media that threaten peace and stability, spread hate speech and disseminate racism against citizens and residents of the State of Qatar.
8 Rabi` Al-Akhar, 1442
23 November 2020, Monday
Doha, Qatar
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