Eutelsat says Roj TV "suspended"

The French-based satellite giant Eutelsat yesterday decided to suspend the broadcast made by Roj TV. A statement issued by Eutelsat says, "Further to the instruction of the Danish public prosecutor, the Court of Copenhagen delivered a verdict on 10 January 2012 that the Roj TV channel is an instrument of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) with respect to their financial, structural and operational ties. The Court consequently condemned Roj TV, declaring it guilty of facilitating and inciting participation in a terrorist organization. The PKK has been listed for a number of years as a terrorist organization by the European Union. Under these circumstances, Eutelsat has decided to suspend the presence of Roj TV on its satellites in order to avoid incurring criminal liability as an accomplice to terrorist activities. Eutelsat has consequently asked distributors uplinking Roj TV to its satellites to suspend broadcasts of the channel." In response to this, a statement issued by Turkish Foreign Ministry defined the decision made by Eutelsat as "a natural requirement of the verdict of the Court of Copenhagen."