Saudi Arabia 'sacks TV duty editor for airing' Yemen's Nobel laureate Tawakkol Karman

Saudi Arabia is censoring the first Arab and Yemeni woman Nobel Peace Prize laureate after she criticised the Saudi-led coalition's role in destroying Yemen.

MENA

2 min read

The New Arab

08 February, 2018

Tawakkol Karman has recently lashed out at the Saudi-led coalition [Getty]

The duty editor of Saudi Arabia’s al-Thakafiyah channel has reportedly been sacked after airing a show featuring the first Arab and Yemeni woman Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

The Saudi Broadcasting Corporation announced on Wednesday that al-Thakafiyah’s duty editor has been sacked "for not upholding his duties."

Shortly before the unnamed duty editor was fired, the TV station aired a programme with Tawakkol Karman, who recently lashed out against the Saudi-led coalition for its role in turning Yemen into the largest manmade humanitarian crisis.

Riyadh’s crackdown on freedom of speech, exasperated by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has resulted in an ever-growing censorship of domestic and foreign critics of the state.

Karman was sacked by her party earlier this week for criticising Saudi Arabia's role in the war ravaging her country.

Karman accused the Saudi-led coalition, waging war in support of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi against Iran-backed rebels, of "occupying" Yemen.

In an earlier Twitter message, she wrote: “Saudi Arabia and UAE took advantage of the (Houthi) militia coup in Sanaa to launch a very ugly occupation and an uglier influence in Yemen.”

The Muslim Brotherhood affiliated Islah party ordered her to be suspended from her ranks.

Karman won the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize for her role in Arab Spring protests that ousted Yemen's long-time dictator Ali Abdullah Saleh.