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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