'Licensing Requirements Not Met'

KUWAIT CITY, Dec 20

Al-Youm TV satellite channel's license has been canceled for violating licensing requirements following deadline expiration of its settlement with the law, Ministry of Information announced here on Thursday.

Acting upon the Press and Publication Law and the Audio-Visual Law on media sources, the ministry of information issued a cancelation order of a satellite channel's license for violating licensing requirements after the deadline expiration of settling its case with the law, the ministry said in a press statement.

Also, the ministry stressed keenness in implementing the law while, at the same time, taking a balanced stance with all media sources, noting that it has previously issued a similar license cancelation for another satellite channel for the same reasons, as well as for a number of magazines for their irregularity and stoppage in publication.

In addition, it indicated importance of commitment to the law provisions by all audio, visual, and readable media sources.

There was mixed reaction from several MPs following the closure of the satellite TV channel. 
Liberal MP Nabil Al-Fadhel said the decision is right given the 'huge' violations committed by the channel.

Al-Fadhel pointed out as a writer and media man he was not happy about the closure but it had become necessary to support the application of the law on everyone after it came to light that the channel had committed serious media violations and that it had failed to correct its course in spite of repeated warnings by the Ministry of Information.

Islamist and tribal MP Khaled Al-Shulaimi expressed his resentment at the closure of the channel and wished the decision was taken in accordance with the law which is being observed in the country "keeping in mind this channel had become popular among the large number of followers is spite of its short existence."

He called on the minister to provide him convincing reasons for closing the channel. He warned the minister was putting himself in 'trouble' if he had taken the decision in violation of the law.

He stressed the freedom of opinion and expression are guaranteed by the Constitution, and asked "Why at all should the Information Ministry put this particular channel under its microscope?"

Shiite MP Abdul-Hameed Dashti disclosed his plan to submit during the next session a request for the formation of a parliamentary committee to investigate the violations contained in the Jaber Bridge project.
He also disclosed he has presented a bill on national unity and anti-discrimination "because the necessity decree that was brought by the government and approved by the legislative committee has many flaws." He stressed any decree of necessity that will be opposed in the Parliament will have an alternative.

He said he has presented a draft bill to replace Article 214 of the Personal Status Law because the article has been molded from rules of the Maliki school of though in violation of the Constitution, so the article should be amended to establish the will and the rights that relate to this issue to keep in line with the Constitution.

Al-Dashti also talked about the issue of writing off loans. He stressed the importance of this issue which, he said, has occupied the minds of all citizens "and that is why we see the concern from the lawmakers who want to remove this burden from the shoulders of the citizens.

Like his colleagues, Al-Dashti also rejected the statement made by the Finance Minister, Mustapha Al-Shamali on the loan issue and described it as provocative. He explained the minister's view does not necessarily reflect the view of the government.

He added this issue is one the top priories of the lawmakers "and that is why I have submitted a draft bill for the establishment of Public Authority for Loans Settlement."

He added, this bill neither wastes public fund nor violates the Constitution, it rather addresses this issue as per the mechanism which was used in previous experiments such the issue of the Souk Al-Manakh crises which occurred in the 1980s.

Another Shiite MP Hussein Al-Qallaf also attacked the finance minister on the loan issue, saying "We have advised Al-Shamali not to make provocative statements which create opposition, but he insisted on his position that harms the political situation."

He added, "I call on the head of the government to close all doors of unrest that are opened by Al-Shamali in the best interests of the country."

© Arab Times 2012