MOSCOW: A Russian editor who protested against Moscow’s military action in Ukraine during a prime-time news broadcast on state TV was released with a fine Tuesday after an international outcry over her detention.
Marina Ovsyannikova, an editor at Channel One television, barged onto the set of its flagship Vremya (Time) evening news late Monday, holding a poster reading “No War” in English.
The mother of two still risks criminal charges with a penalty of up to 15 years in jail, one of her lawyers said.
Ovsyannikova’s case drew international attention and raised new alarm over press freedom in Russia in the wake of President Vladimir Putin’s decision to send troops to pro-Western Ukraine.
On Tuesday, French President Emmanuel Macron offered asylum or other forms of consular protection to the journalist.
After her protest she was detained and questioned for 14 hours, she told reporters on Tuesday.
She was released after a judge at Moscow’s Ostankino district court ordered her to pay a fine of 30,000 rubles ($280) on Tuesday.
She could have faced a maximum punishment of 10 days in detention for calling for illegal protests.
This charge was based not specifically on her interruption of the news broadcast, but on a video statement she released explaining the reasons for her protest and urging Russians to take to the streets.
Ovsyannikova pleaded not guilty in court, saying: “I am still convinced that Russia is committing a crime.”
“These are very difficult days in my life,” she said after the ruling.
“I’ve spent two days literally without sleep.”
One of Ovsyannikova’s lawyers, Daniil Berman, told AFP she also risked criminal charges and up to 15 years in jail under new legislation against “fake news” on the Russian military, introduced after Putin sent troops into Ukraine on February 24.
Macron, who has maintained a dialogue with Putin despite Moscow’s military action, said he would bring up her case during his next conversation with the 69-year-old Russian leader.
“We will launch diplomatic efforts aiming to offer (her) protection — either at the embassy but also protection through asylum,” said Macron.
“I will have the chance at my next talks with President Putin to propose this solution in a very direct and concrete manner,” he added.
Channel One said an internal investigation was underway. It was a highly unusual event in Russia where state media is strictly controlled.
“I want to have as quickly as possible all clarity about her personal situation and her ability to continue with her work,” Macron said.
EU Commission external affairs spokesman Peter Stano said she took a “brave moral stance and dared to object Kremlin’s lies and propaganda live on air on a state-controlled TV channel.”
The incident was widely picked up by international media, while Russian publications blurred out the message on the poster to avoid running afoul of a new media law.
Thousands of people posted tributes on social media to Ovsyannikova’s “extraordinary courage” amid a historic crackdown on the opposition in Russia.
Press freedom activists outside Russia accuse state television of painting a severely distorted picture of Moscow’s military action in a bid to maintain popular support.
Ovsyannikova’s message in Russian read: “Stop the war. Don’t believe propaganda. They are lying to you here.”
It was signed in English: “Russians against the war.”
Ovsyannikova managed to say a few phrases in Russian, including “Stop the war!,” while news anchor Yekaterina Andreyeva tried to drown her out by speaking louder before the channel switched hastily to footage of a hospital.
In a video posted on social media, Ovsyannikova speaking before her action says she is “ashamed” to have been involved in “Kremlin propaganda” and describes Moscow’s military action as a “crime.”
“I’m ashamed I allowed Russian people to be zombified,” she added.
Her action won praise from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who said: “I am grateful to those Russians who do not stop trying to tell the truth and specifically to the lady who entered the studio of Channel One with a poster against the war.”
Russian court fines TV protester amid outcry
https://arab.news/67f83
Russian court fines TV protester amid outcry
- Marina Ovsyannikova, an editor at Channel One television, barged onto the set of its flagship Vremya (Time) evening news late Monday, holding a poster reading “No War” in English
- After her protest she was detained and questioned for 14 hours then was released after a Moscow court judge fined her $280 on Tuesday
BBC investigation leads to arrest of one of world’s most notorious people smugglers
- Barzan Majeed, nicknamed ‘Scorpion,’ is caught in Iraqi Kurdistan days after release of BBC podcast series by journalists who tracked him down and interviewed him
- Senior local official confirms officials used information from the broadcaster’s investigation to help find fugitive believed to have helped smuggle thousands of people to UK
DUBAI: Kurdish security forces arrested Barzan Majeed, described as one of the world’s most notorious people smugglers, in Iraqi Kurdistan on Sunday morning.
Nicknamed “Scorpion,” the fugitive is believed to have been involved in smuggling an estimated 10,000 people across the English Channel to the UK. He was arrested days after the release of a BBC podcast series in which investigative journalists tracked him down to the city of Sulaymaniyah in Iraq and interviewed him there.
During the interview, Majeed said he had lost count of the number of people he helped to smuggle, adding: “Maybe a thousand, maybe 10,000. I don’t know, I didn’t count.”
He admitted that between 2016 and 2019 he was one of two people who helped run a people-smuggling operation in Belgium and France but denied he was the mastermind of the operation.
“A couple of people, when they get arrested, they say, ‘We’re working for him’ — they want to get less (of a) sentence,” he said.
Originally from Iraq, Majeed moved to the city of Nottingham, in England, in 2013 but was deported two years later. He had been on the run since failing to appear at a court in Belgium for a sentencing hearing in November 2022.
The UK’s National Crime Agency issued a warrant for his arrest that same year. The agency, which confirmed his arrest, said: “We are grateful to the BBC for highlighting his case and remain determined to do all we can to disrupt and dismantle the criminal networks involved in smuggling people to the UK, wherever they operate.”
A senior member of the Kurdistan Regional Government confirmed its officials had used information from the BBC investigation to locate and arrest Majeed.
Each year, thousands of people flee Iraq, including its Kurdistan Region, in the hope of finding a better life in the UK or other parts of Europe. In many cases, they pay people smugglers to transport them, but the routes and methods used by the smugglers are often dangerous and the migrants face harsh weather and potentially deadly travel conditions.
Germany deported 222 Iraqi citizens in the first three months of this year as part of an alleged agreement between Berlin and Baghdad to deport migrants who do not qualify to remain in Germany, media organization Rudaw, which is based in Iraqi Kurdistan, reported this week.
Saudi radio station MBC FM marks 30 years of broadcasting with special events
- Bosses say the celebrations honor the pioneering station’s enduring contributions to the media landscape in the Kingdom
- ‘MBC FM has captured the ears and hearts of millions of Saudis over 3 decades’ and ‘continues to lead the radio airwaves with the love and loyalty of listeners,’ says group’s chairperson
LONDON: As pioneering Saudi radio station MBC FM celebrates three decades of broadcasting in the Kingdom, it is marking the milestone with a series of events and initiatives at the MBC Group headquarters in Riyadh under the theme “30 and Still Going Strong.”
The celebrations, which began on May 12, honor the station’s enduring contributions to Saudi Arabia’s media landscape, bosses said. They include competitions, entertainment events and exclusive interviews with renowned artists and stars from across the Gulf region and the wider Arab world.
“Just as MBC FM has captured the ears and hearts of millions of Saudis over three decades, being the first commercial FM radio station in the Kingdom, the radio and music sector at MBC Group today continues to lead the radio airwaves with the love and loyalty of listeners,” said Walid Al-Ibrahim, the chairperson of MBC Group.
In addition to providing entertainment for listeners, the station has served as a launchpad for emerging talent, he added, as he highlighted its influence on local culture.
Ziad Hamza, general manager of the radio and music Sector at MBC Group, said the station remains committed to its ongoing evolution while also honoring its strong history and legacy. In particular he highlighted investments in infrastructure, diversity of content and audience engagement as the station adapted to changing tastes and preferences among listeners.
“We have worked on developing the infrastructure and creating a comprehensive modern environment for the radio sector … by investing in Saudi youth talents, including radio presenters, producers, programmers and technicians,” said Hamza.
“We have also launched the MoodMBC application, which includes MBC FM, Panorama FM and MBC Podcast, in addition to enhanced options for direct communication, as well as rich and diverse content catering to poetry lovers, music session enthusiasts, and current affairs followers.
“Our goal has always been to strike a balance between the tastes of listeners and the needs of advertisers, facilitating our clients’ access to various target audience segments around the clock.”
Gulf news agencies discuss fake news, joint media strategy
- Meeting discussed plans for a collaborative media strategy for 2023-30
RIYADH: The threat of fake news and a program for personnel exchanges were among the topics discussed at the 23rd meeting of the heads of the news agencies of Gulf Cooperation Council countries on Monday.
The talks, held virtually, were chaired by Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Rumaihi, director-general of the Qatar News Agency, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The meeting also discussed the decisions made during the 26th gathering of GCC Ministers of Media, most notably the plans for a collaborative media strategy for 2023-30.
The delegates stressed the need for more training courses and workshops and looked into a report about misleading and false news reports. The meeting also outlined plans for an upcoming photography exhibition.
The attendees approved a program for exchange visits between editors, photographers and technicians across the region, and expressed their support for the Bahrain News Agency’s coverage of the 33rd Arab Summit on Thursday.
Saudia Airlines to bring AlUla FM onboard in new strategic partnership
- Initiative aims to raise awareness and appreciation of AlUla’s rich cultural heritage, company says
LONDON: Saudia Airlines announced it is brining AlUla FM radio to its onboard entertainment as part of a strategic partnership with the Royal Commission for AlUla.
Announced on Monday, the new initiative aims to raise “awareness and appreciation of AlUla’s rich cultural heritage among passengers and those intrigued by Saudi Arabia’s offerings,” the companies said in a statement.
“AlUla’s rich stories and deep cultural legacy are taking flight with Saudia,” said Abdulrahman Altrairi, chief communications and PR officer, and official spokesperson for the RCU during a presentation with Khaled Tash, Saudia’s group chief marketing officer.
“Our new agreement promotes cultural heritage, RCU partnership network and invites new audiences to join in the expansion of AlUla as a global destination and AlUla FM as an audio platform.”
The Saudi national carrier said that AlUla FM is now accessible on all flights through the airline’s “Beyond” inflight entertainment system, in what the radio described as a major advancement in its evolution as an audio platform.
Since its official launch in 2020 under the banner “The Sound of Arabia,” AlUla FM has served as a platform for the promotion of AlUla, broadcasting local narratives to an international audience through regular and seasonal shows and programs.
British foreign secretary renews call for BBC to label Hamas as terrorists
- David Cameron says BBC should ‘ask itself again’ how it labels Hamas after death of British-Israeli hostage
- BBC defends its editorial position citing concerns over impartiality
LONDON: British Foreign Secretary David Cameron reiterated his appeal to the BBC to designate Hamas as a terrorist organization following the death of a British-Israeli hostage.
The national broadcaster has maintained a clear stance since the beginning of the conflict, referring to the Palestinian group as “fighters,” “militants,” or a proscribed terrorist organization in its coverage.
This decision has sparked a nationwide debate, with some experts and politicians accusing the corporation of avoiding an accurate portrayal of the Islamist group, which is holding Israeli hostages.
Speaking to the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg on Sunday, Lord Cameron urged the organization to reconsider how it labels Hamas and reassess its editorial policy.
The foreign secretary said: “Like everyone else, I watched the video on Twitter, X, last night, put out by Hamas of Nadav (Popplewell) answering a question as to who he was. And I watched that video and you just think, what callous people they are to do that, to play with the family’s emotions in that way.”
He added: “And when you see what Hamas are prepared to do, you just realise the terrible, dreadful, inhuman people, frankly, that we are dealing with.
“Maybe it’s a moment actually for the BBC to ask itself again, shall we describe these people as terrorists? They are terrorists.”
The BBC has resisted calls from the government to classify Hamas as a terrorist organization, fearing it could compromise its impartiality in the conflict.
Last October, Deborah Turness, chief of BBC News, explained the network’s decision not to label any group as terrorists, stating that such terminology is often politicized and weaponized in conflicts.
Hamas announced on Saturday that Nadav Popplewell had died from injuries sustained in an Israeli airstrike a month earlier, and released a video in which he appeared with a black eye and provided personal details.
Popplewell was abducted with his mother from her home in the Nirim kibbutz during Hamas’s incursion into southern Israel on Oct. 7, according to the Israeli Hostages and Missing Families Forum. His brother was killed, while his mother was released during a temporary ceasefire in November.
Cameron said that there were no updates on the fate of Nadav Popplewell as the Foreign Office continues to investigate the situation.
