Emarat Al-Youm in dark over court ban

PAPER SUSPENDED: Emarat Al-Youm has been banned for 20 days. (Getty Images)

Arab Media Group (AMG) has not been informed of any libel judgement against Arabic daily Emarat Al-Youm and as of now the newspaper will still hit newsstands Thursday, its CEO Abdul Latif Al-Sayegh told Arabian Business on Wednesday.

Arabic daily Al-Ittihad reported on Wednesday an Abu Dhabi court had banned Emarat Al-Youm from publishing for 20 days from Thursday and fined its editor-in-chief Sami Al-Riyami and Al-Sayegh 20,000 dirhams ($5,445) each.

Al-Ittihad said the ruling was made late Tuesday, citing lawyers in the case.

Al-Ittihad said the libel related to a story published in October 2006 alleging the owners of a stable in the UAE were giving their horses amphetamines to boost their performance in races.

"Neither myself, Emarat Al-Youm nor our lawyers have received anything in writing," Al-Sayegh said at around 1pm local time.

Al-Sayegh said the first he heard of the judgement was in Al-Ittihad. "We do not know exactly whether it is true," he said.

Al-Sayegh confirmed there had been a hearing on Tuesday.

Asked whether Emarat Al-Youm would be on newsstands Thursday, he said: "The paper will be out tomorrow unless we hear otherwise."

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READERS' COMMENTS

Any why shouldn't they bring out the ills of society?
Posted by kaptain, Dubai, United Arab Emirates on Thursday 20 November 2008 at 13:57 UAE time


When media is free all over the world; media in the Gulf is so strained and immature that it records the trivialities of the unimportant institutions but seldom looks down upon the black side of these; for which the people, mostly expats, have to bear the brunt.
Media should be given freedom but not a big mouth

Emarat Al Youm
Posted by Huda on Thursday 20 November 2008 at 02:22 UAE time


I think Emarat Al Youm paper is indeed an excellent portal of local information and in no way has it published a story which is not true. Being in a conservative society like UAE, we dont tend to talk about certain issues, but what if its affecting us directly and in-directly, do u still want us to stay in the dark. Emarat Al Youm newspaper has shown a different side of journalism, one which we lacked in all local papers, so give them the chance to do something right..And in no way has a story come out in the paper, which didnt carry written and legal evidents...Way to go and dont stop..

Emarat al youm
Posted by Maryam Bin Fares on Wednesday 19 November 2008 at 13:23 UAE time

They deserve it, they are misusing media freedom.

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