Director of Saudi sports channels, Ghanim Al-Qahtani, has suspended Palestinian announcer, Razan Malash after she tweeted in solidarity with Yemen, Shehab News Agency reported on Friday.
Malash, who is a sports correspondent in Spain, tweeted:
“The Saudi fighters only strike Yemen, not Israel.”
يا اخواننا في @riyadiyatv ?
رزان ملش مراسلة تعمل لديكم كما هو موضح في تغريدتكم
وهذه تغريداتها الهجومية والعدائية على بلادنا المملكة العربية السعوديةالى متى ونحن نستقطب في قنواتنا ومنصاتنا من يكن لنا العداء والكراهيه أليست هناك آلية توضح توجهات الشخص قبل توظيفة !!؟@media_ksa pic.twitter.com/N2HK5hoFgg
— كريّم صالح?? (@krrsa_) January 9, 2020
On social media, supporters of the Royal Court of Saudi Arabia claimed that the announcer’s tweet was abusive towards the Kingdom.
Saudi social media users also retrieved old tweets by Malash, in which she accused Saudi Arabia of being responsible for Daesh’s existence.
This is not the first time an announcer id banned from appearing on Saudi channels for political reasons.
In 2017, the Saudi MBC channel fired Jordanian presenter Ola Al-Fares, after she criticized US President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
Saudi authorities suspend Jordanian anchor Ola Al-Fares after she implicitly accused Riyadh of colluding with the US over Pres. Trump’s Jerusalem decision pic.twitter.com/Gl4XbAnbKP
— Press TV (@PressTV) December 8, 2017
She tweeted:
“Trump did not choose the recognition timing coincidently,… Tonight we condemn and tomorrow we sing”
This tweet ignited controversy on social media, as Saudi users claimed she was disparaging of the kingdom, which led to her firing.
(The Palestine Chronicle, MEMO, Social Media)
