PARIS, — Roj-TV broadcast was suspended by French Satellite Company Eutelsat on 22 January. Following that the Kurdish channel appealed against the verdict to Paris Administrative Court.
The court rejected the appeal claiming that Roj-TV had already signed an agreement with Intelsat after Eutelsat’s decision of suspension. The urgent objection of the channel was rejected but it was remarked that sides had the right to object to the court verdict.
With an unlawful verdict on 19 January, French satellite company Eutelsat unilaterally suspended the presence of Roj-TV on its satellites to avoid incurring criminal liability as an accomplice to terrorist activities.
The decision came after the Copenhagen City Court on 14 December 2011 charged the Kurdish channel with making propaganda for the PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party). Although the Danish court did not rule for the closure of the Roj-TV, the Kurdish satellite channel was closed on 22 January.
Following Eutelsat decision, the Kurdish television signed an agreement with Intelsat on 26 January. Roj-TV broadcasts continued on Intelsat 1 W over Greece until the American state just one day later applied pressure on the Greek government and had the broadcasts suspended once again.
Danske Bank which has worked with Roj-TV for long years decided on February 1st to withhold Roj-TV accounts.