Iraq extends ban on al-Jazeera TV

BBC | September 4 2004

Iraq's interim government has indefinitely extended a month-long ban on Arabic TV news channel al-Jazeera.

It says there has been no response to fears that broadcasts incite violence.

A statement issued by the office of the interim Prime Minister, Iyad Allawi, also accused al-Jazeera of continuing to operate from Iraq despite the ban.

The government has complained that Arabic satellite channels encourage kidnappings by showing pictures of hostages threatened with execution.

Al-Jazeera's reporters in Iraq have said they treat such events only as news stories, and have suggested the ban is an attempt to suppress unwelcome news.

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