Alwaght-Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah condemned the unfair decision taken by the Egyptian NileSat Satellite Company which blocked the broadcast of Al-Manar TV channel across its signals.
In a statement, Hezbollah termed the move as a flagrant violation of the freedom of speech and attempts to silence the voice of the resistance and right.
In a statement, Hezbollah noted that NileSat action against Al-Manar frustrates all the expectations from Egypt's role in straitening the course of events in this stage. Hezbollah said the unfair decision shows Egypt is blindly following some Arab regime's attack against the resistance and its media.
The statement also pointed out that all the channels which support the resistance and adopt its slogans will certainly overcome all the blocking measures, calling on the Egyptian government and the Satellite Company to immediately deactivate the blocking decision which serves the Israeli interests as all the Egyptians know.
Meanwhile Al-Manar TV Channel has issued a statement denouncing NileSat decision, saying that it reflects the intention to eradicate the voice of the resistance in this epoch.
Al-Manar TV General Director Ibrahim Farhat asserted that NileSat move is based on political pressure on the resistance, confirming the channel's intention to challenge the decision in order to keep its communication with its faithful audience in the Arab and Islamic countries.
Farhat also confirmed that Al-Manar has always reflected the values of Arab-Islamic unity, unlike scores of channels which stir seditions.
In December 2015satellite communications operator Arabsat also stopped broadcasting Al-Manar television channel.
In response, Al Manar said, “al-Manar is the voice of the Bahrainis, Saudis, Iraqis, Syrians, Tunisians, Egyptians and all the Arabs and Muslims,” vowing to continue its coverage of the developments in the region and the entire Muslim world.
The television channel also emphasized that it will keep up its support for the Palestinian cause, adding that Arabsat’s move cannot stop al-Manar from “conveying the resistance’s voice in face of oppression.”
In a similar move in November 2015, the Lebanese al-Mayadeen television channel was also stopped being broadcast via Riyadh-based Arabsat after a guest criticized Saudi Arabia’s handling of a tragic human crush in Mina, near the Saudi city of Mecca, during Hajj rituals in late September.
Al-Mayadeen’s Director Ghassan bin Jaddou referred to the channel’s coverage of news concerning Palestinian resistance as well as the Saudi war on Yemen as other reasons why pressure was exerted on al-Mayadeen, slamming Arabsat’s move as a violation of freedom of speech and the rights of media.
