The Iranian parliament is examining a bill presented by deputies close to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad which bans satellite television for private citizens.
The draft law provides for fines of up to 5000 euros for offenders. Saiid Abutaleb, the member of Parliament who drafted the reform, on Monday presented the bill to the media. Under the measures, which Parliament is to discuss in the coming days, private citizens who own a satellite dish have three months to get rid of it once the bill becomes law.
Offenders will be liable to fines of up to 5,000 euros, which most Iranian families can't afford given that the average salary amounts to less than 200 euros a month. Only public institutions and some associations will be allowed to own a satellite dish.
Companies importing and selling satellite dishes and receivers to citizens who are not authorised to own them will receive fines of 50 thousand euros and their goods will be seized.
The government will use revenues from fines for the "fight against the West's cultural offensive," said Abutaleb.
The draft law allows companies to broadcast some foreign television channels provided they have obtained the government's permission. Television channels broadcasting from abroad in farsi will be banned.
Tags: Iran, Ahmadinejad, censorship, Satellite TV, slime-buckets
No comments:
Post a Comment