The CRIF in action
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Published on 13 March 2005

FRENCH BROADCASTING AUHTORITY OUTLAWS IRANIAN TV

The French broadcasting regulation body CSA ordered the French law satellite company Eutelsat to stop the broadcast of Sahar 1, an Iranian satellite TV channel. CSA based its decision on the fact that the channel aired from last December and onwards a series called "For You, Palestine" or "Zahra's Blue Eyes" systematically depicting Jews Israelis in a debasing way, as unscrupulous people even ready to steel a child's eyes. Sahar also aired a slightly modified version of Al Shatat, the anti-Semitic series previously broadcast by the television of the Lebanese Hezbollah.



Eutelsat appealed the resolution but the French Supreme Court confirmed CSA's decision. The broadcast was eventually stopped last Thursday.

CRIF expressed its satisfaction, stating that it was simply asking for a true protection of the Human Rights, i.e. the implementation of a subtle balance between freedom and responsibility. CRIF's actions are based on article 29 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948): "Everyone has duties to the community in which alone the free and full development of his personality is possible. In the exercise of his rights and freedoms, everyone shall be subject only to such limitations as are determined by law solely for the purpose of securing due recognition and respect for the rights and freedoms of others and of meeting the just requirements of morality, public order and the general welfare in a democratic society."

The same basic text states in its First article, "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood." Are the mini-series broadcast by Al Manar or Sahar 1 an expression of this "spirit of brotherhood" so that they should be defended in the name of a freedom that is only a freedom to offend or kill?

It is CRIF's honor to oppose the broadcast of channels inciting to racial hatred.

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