(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has urged Prime Minister Mustapha Miro to rescind his 31 July 2003 decree withdrawing the satirical weekly “Addomari”‘s publication licence. The decree, which follows months of administrative harassment, censorship and intimidation of the country’s only independent, satirical newspaper, will “undoubtedly further tarnish Syria’s image,” RSF Secretary-General Robert Ménard warned. The decision was […]
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has urged Prime Minister Mustapha Miro to rescind his 31 July 2003 decree withdrawing the satirical weekly “Addomari”‘s publication licence. The decree, which follows months of administrative harassment, censorship and intimidation of the country’s only independent, satirical newspaper, will “undoubtedly further tarnish Syria’s image,” RSF Secretary-General Robert Ménard warned.
The decision was “clearly political,” although the official reason for the closure was an alleged breach of the law governing news publications, Ménard said. “‘Addomari’ was a breath of fresh air in a colourless news media environment and its closure bodes ill for freedom of expression in Syria,” he added.
According to an Information Ministry press release, the 31 July decree was adopted because “Addomari” “violated laws and regulations in force by failing to appear for more than three months”. The newspaper’s owner and editor-in-chief, Ali Farzat, was given two warnings, the press release said, adding that “the licence to publish is withdrawn from any publication that does not appear for more than three months”.
“Addomari” had not been published since April because of difficulties with its distributor and advertisers, and because of censorship and warnings from the authorities. Information Minister Adnane Omrane had demanded that “Addomari” agree to allow every issue be inspected prior to publication, but Farzat refused. Because of all of these problems, Farzat decided to suspend publication.
However, knowing that “Addomari” would be banned if he did not publish an issue by the beginning of August, Farzat prepared an issue for 28 July with the lead headline, “The Issue of Faith in Reform”. The newspaper’s lawyer, Anwar al-Bounni, said the authorities banned its distribution on the grounds that it contained reports about news media that are “subject to censorship”, as well as messages addressed to President Bashar al-Assad and Information Minister Omrane.
Several of the newspaper’s journalists were also summoned for questioning by various security agencies. Al-Bounni condemned this act of censorship and said he would appeal against the withdrawal of “Addomari”‘s licence.
“Addomari” was launched as a result of the passage of a law in September 2001 allowing the publication of newspapers not controlled by the government for the first time since 1963.
