The Voice of America (VOA), British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Deutsche Welle (DW), Audiovisuel Extérieur de la France (AEF) and Radio Netherlands Worldwide (RNW) condemned the Iranian interference with satellite broad- casting signals as an effort to silence independent media and prevent free access to information.
Meeting in London, the directors general of these five broadcasters issued a statement, saying, “We have seen an escalation this year in the number of pressure tactics that have been used on the media being accessed by audiences in Iran and other countries.”
In particular, they pointed to an increase in the jamming of satellite programming in Persian.
Satellite operators say the interference originates in Iran.
“We call upon the regulatory authorities to take action against those who deliberately cause interference to satellite signals on the grounds that this is contrary to international conventions for the use of satellites. We specifically ask national telecommunications authorities to take up the issue at an upcoming meeting of the International Telecommunication Union in Geneva.
“We also call upon satellite operators and service providers to recognize the importance of the role they play in ensuring the free flow of information.”