Iraqi officials have reportedly revoked the broadcaster’s license, marking the third time Al Jazeera has been banned in Iraq. The news organisation says it was told it had violated codes of conduct and other rules.
The Qatar-based news organisation on Wednesday said its bureau in Baghdad had been shut down after the government accused it of violating laws.
According to the pan-Arab broadcaster, Iraq’s Communications and Media Commission (CMC) accused the company of “violations of the official codes of conduct and broadcasting rules and regulations”.
Those rules and regulations were issued in 2014 to regulate media coverage of the “war on terror.”
Al Jazeera gave a statement to Reuters news agency following the decision.
Three strikes, they’re out?
“We remain committed to broadcasting news on Iraq to Iraqi people, our viewers in the Arab world and across the world,” the broadcaster said.
The controversial news network has been banned in Iraq for the third time now. The last time was in 2013, when it reported on a violent military crackdown on Sunni Muslim protestors.
Al Jazeera was founded by Qatar’s ruling family in 1996, and has since gone on to become one of the most widely recognized and respected international news organizations. However, it has also been accused of supporting what many consider to be extremists, such as the Muslim Brotherhood, and has frequently run afoul of governments in the Middle East.
