Ban on Press TV an attempt to silence ‘voice of resistance’: Analyst

Press TV is the voice of the oppressed, a news network working to expose the crimes and double standards of the West against free nations, says an analyst.

Barely weeks after the European Union imposed sanctions on Iran's leading English-language broadcaster, French satellite operator Eutelsat notified Press TV on Wednesday of its plan to take the network off the air.

Firas Al-Najim, a Canadian human rights advocate, said on Press TV's Spotlights program  that the move unmasked the conspiracy of the Western governments.

Obviously these regimes apply sanctions against the Iranian media because they are "very influential," he noted.

A Push to Silence Press TV

French satellite operator Eutelsat has notified Press TV of a plan to take the English-language news network off air. This comes weeks after the European Union imposed sanctions on the channel along with a number of Press TV staff for alleged “rights violations” in how Iran has countered the foreign-backed riots.

"Press TV is the voice of the free and the oppressed people, it is the voice of resistance, and it gives an opportunity to anyone in the world to speak against all these crimes, these horrendous violations, this double standard work that is going on in the world," he further added.

Reacting to the new restrictions, Press TV in a statement on Wednesday denounced the ban as "media terrorism."

The “hostile” move by Eutelsat and [the earlier sanctions imposed by] the European Union, said the statement is “just one of the rings in the chain of measures that has been designed to muzzle the only voice of Iranian people in the English-language media environment.”

Al-Najim pointed out that Press TV exposes the silence of international organizations, including the United Nations, regarding the atrocities committed by the West, and that's why they are putting pressure on TV channels like Press TV.

EU sanctions Press TV, Iranian officials over alleged rights violations following foreign-backed riots

The European Union imposes sanctions on 29 Iranian individuals and three entities, including the 24-hour English-language Press TV.

Al-Najim further emphasized that by imposing such sanctions, Western countries are seeking to silence the voice of resistance and the voice of the oppressed people, and by doing so, they are actually violating their self-proclaimed adherence to freedom of expression.

“It is their last card because they have failed in all different dimensions.”

Press TV, which has earned a reputation as the "voice of the voiceless", has faced many attacks from Western countries over the years.

On April 3, 2012, Munich-based media regulator BLM announced it was removing Press TV from the SES Astra satellite, as it purportedly did not have a license to broadcast in Europe.

In November 2012, the Hong Kong-based AsiaSat took Iranian channels off air in East Asia, and in October 2012 Eutelsat and Intelsat stopped broadcasting several Iranian satellite channels, though the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting managed to resume broadcasts after striking deals with smaller companies that are based in other countries.

In July 2013, Press TV was forced off the air in the UK after the media regulator Ofcom revoked its license for allegedly breaching the Communications Act.

In the same year, it was taken off air in North America after the US Treasury Department announced sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB).

Press TV was dropped from the Galaxy 19 satellite platform that allowed it to broadcast in the United States and Canada, without saying when it was dropped.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk