Iraqi Kurdistan bans Arab TV channels over anti-Kurdish stance

Iraq’s Kurdistan Region Bans Broadcasting of Al Jazeera, Al Arabiya, and Al Hadath

ERBIL,— Mix Media, the largest local digital broadcasting network in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, announced on Wednesday a ban on the transmission of three major Arab news channels, citing their anti-Kurdish reporting.

The blocked channels include Qatar’s Al Jazeera, Saudi Arabia’s Al Arabiya, and Al Hadath. The company said the move responds to the networks’ coverage of recent developments in Syrian Kurdistan, also known as Rojava.

In an official statement, Mix Media said the channels were being suspended for what it described as “unprofessionalism” and “policies hostile to the Kurdish people.” The company added that it closely monitors all broadcasts and takes action against content deemed harmful or false.

The ban followed a formal request from a group of lawyers and university professors in Erbil demanding that two Arabic channels be shut down for spreading anti-Kurdish content.

At a press conference in Erbil, Asso Hashim said the channels had “spread harmful narratives against the struggle of the Kurdish people” and openly supported Syria’s Sharaa Islamist armed groups, which aim to destabilize Kurdish communities.

Omed Mohammed, technical manager at Mix Media, explained that the company maintains strict standards for all channels it carries.

“Our work is to transmit broadcasts, but we have filters in place. Channels that are inconsistent with the culture of Kurdistan and the interests of the Kurdistan Region are not permitted,” he said.

Mohammed added that the decision came after careful monitoring of the suspended channels’ coverage, noting that their content “disseminated false news and acted against Kurdistan.”

Mix Media serves an estimated 250,000 to 300,000 subscribers across the Kurdistan Region. The company emphasized that its suspension of the channels is part of its “moral duty to protect subscribers.”

There is no set timeline for the channels’ return, and the suspension will remain in effect as long as the broadcasts continue to violate Mix Media’s rules.

The move received official backing from the Kurdistan Regional Government. The Ministry of Culture sent a letter to Mix Media citing the Media Broadcasting Regulation Law and highlighting content that violated the region’s laws, describing it as “offensive and inciting hatred against the Kurdish people.”

The letter, issued Wednesday by the Director General of Media, Printing, and Publishing, Shirwan Abdullah Khurshid, stated: “Based on continuous monitoring and review, violations were identified concerning the broadcasting of materials and content that contradict current laws and include content considered offensive and inciting hatred against the Kurdish people. Full compliance with legal rules and instructions is required.”

The ban comes amid escalating attacks by Syrian government Islamist forces and affiliated militias in northern Syria. Since mid-January, these forces have advanced into areas previously held by the Syrian Democratic Forces in Aleppo, Deir ez-Zor, Raqqa, and near the Kurdish province of Hasaka.

Human rights groups monitoring the conflict report brutal attacks on Kurdish civilians, including mass killings, rape, arbitrary arrests, and public dissemination of abuse videos on social media.

Al Hadath and Al Arabiya, Saudi Arabian satellite news channels headquartered in Riyadh, are known for their pro-Saudi coverage in the Arab world.

Al Jazeera, based in Doha, Qatar, has wide international reach and influence but has been repeatedly accused of supporting Islamist extremist groups, including Hamas, the Muslim Brotherhood, and the Islamic State, through its reporting and political affiliations.

Mix Media’s decision marks a significant challenge to Arab networks operating in the Kurdistan Region, reflecting growing tensions over media coverage and the portrayal of Kurdish communities under attack in Syria Kurdistan.

The ban is expected to remain in place until the channels adjust their coverage to meet the standards set by Mix Media and the Kurdistan Regional Government.

(With files from Rudaw | BaghdadToday | Agencies)