Libyan paper gagged for Arab criticism
Libyan authorities have ordered the indefinite closure of a pro-government newspaper for criticising leaders of some Gulf states.
According to the official news agency Jana, the Revolutionary Permanent Court met on Tuesday evening to consider articles printed in al-Zahf al-Akhdar newspaper’s latest issues.
“They handed out a verdict to temporarily halt the publication of the newspaper.”
Al-Zahf al-Akhdar (the Green March) is the mouthpiece of the Movement of the Popular Committees, the main political force entrusted with spreading Libyan leader Muammar Qadhafi’s vision and policies.
“Some articles printed by the newspaper have nothing to do with the editorial line and information direction of the paper …
“These articles are seen as attempts by some writers to undermine Libya’s relations with some brotherly and friendly countries,” Jana added of the paper’s unprecedented closure.
Jana did not name the countries concerned and did not say which published remarks had given offence.
Local journalists believe government officials in some Gulf Arab states had reacted angrily to criticism of their leaders in a series of recent articles in the paper.