Ban on anti-Shia channel in Saudi Arabia led to minister removal by the King

Rasa - Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah removed Culture and Information Minister Abdul Aziz Khoja from his post on Monday, hours after the minister announced the shutting down of a controversial anti-Shia television channel.

News ID: 1572

Date: 06 November 2014 - 17:27

RNA - Although no link between the two developments has been confirmed officially, the announment came hours after Khoja announced on Twitter that he has ordered the closing of the Wesal channel that is accused of inciting sectarian hatred, two days after an attack on a Shiite gathering place killed five people on the eve of Ashura, one of the Shiite calendar’s holiest days.

The subsequent manhunt for the killers led to the arrest of 15 people and the death of at least two in clashes, including one security personnel.

“I gave orders to shut down the office of Wesal in Riyadh and to ban any broadcasting of the channel from Saudi Arabia,” Khoja posted on his Twitter account early on Wednesday. “The channel is not Saudi in the first place,” he said, local daily Al Eqtisadiya reported on Wednesday.

Khoja did not specify the reasons for banning Wesal, but he said that the information ministry would not hesitate to take action against any media that attempts to undermine the nation’s unity, security and stability.

“The ministry, in collaboration with the security men and brave citizens, will confront, with strong determination, anyone who incites strife,” he said. “Terrorism has no religion or sect and terrorists are the enemies of all religions and sects and humanity,” he said.

Khoja’s duties will be taken over by the Haj Minister Bandar Bin Mohammad Hamza who also keeps his current post, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

The order by King Abdullah said that Khoja was removed upon his request.

After the announcement about Khoja’s replacement, Wesal posted on its Twitter account: “Latest news... Wesal channel continues... and minister [Khoja] has been relieved of his position”. The tweet appeared to have been deleted later. The channel also tweeted that it will air on Thursday at 5.30pm a segment dealing with the Eastern Province attacks.

Before making the announcement about the closure, Khoja sent a number of passionate tweets condemning the Al Ahsa attacks. “I have said it before and I will repeat it always: national unity is a red line” and “A salute to the people of Al Ahsa and its martyrs, and the martyrs of national duty, the heroes... terrorism has no sect”.

Wesal has often waded into controversy for broadcasting programmes and talk shows that highlighted differences between Islamic sects.

Wesal’s Twitter account has in the past called on followers to “bomb Shiite villages in Lebanon”.

The channel’s closure led to the launch of an Arabic hashtag on Twitter. Prominent Saudi journalist and head of Bahrain-based Al Arab television channel tweeted one word with the hashtag: “Finally”.

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