PUBLIC OUTCRY OVER RESTRICTIVE PRESS DIRECTIVE

UNCLAS KUWAIT 000795

SIPDIS

SIPDIS, NOFORN

STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/PPD, NEA/P, NEA/PA, NEA/PI, INR/NESA, R/MR,
I/GNEA, B/BXN, B/BRN, NEA/IPA
LONDON FOR TSOU
PARIS FOR ZEYA
ABU DHABI FOR PELLETIER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KPAO KPMI KU PINR
SUBJECT: PUBLIC OUTCRY OVER RESTRICTIVE PRESS DIRECTIVE


1. The newly-appointed Minister of Information Abdullah Al-Muhailbi
hastily withdrew a set of directives issued last week that outlined
new restrictions on what newspapers can publish. The ministry u-turn
came after the Kuwait Journalists Association (KJA) condemned the
measure, called an emergency meeting, and vowed publicly to defend
press freedom by fighting the new restrictions.


2. The directive was delivered last week to the KJA in the form of
a memo from the Ministry. It contained a list of some 25 restricted
topics for which the Kuwaiti media would have to obtain Ministry of
Information approval prior to publishing. According to editors who
saw the memo, its list of restricted material included interviews
with "Islamists," reports of public gatherings, stories on
witchcraft, interviews with citizens on foreign policy, and any
material on the Ministries of Interior, Health, Education and Social
Affairs and Labor. Two days after it was delivered, the Minister
spoke by telephone with KJA Chairman Ahmad Behbehani and agreed to
withdraw the memo, which he said was issued not by him, but by MOI
Director of the Press Fahah Al-Ajemi. The Minister was quoted the
next day in the press as saying that he seeks to expand "responsible
press freedom" in accordance with Kuwait's press and publications
law. He said that he withdrew the directive in order to see whether
it violated the press law.


3. The KJA, on receiving the directive last week reacted decisively.
They called an emergency meeting of its leaders and lawyers and
vowed to resist any effort to curb press freedom. The Kuwaiti press
made the issue front-page news for two days following the memo's
release and subsequent withdrawal. KJA leaders, editors, reporters
and columnists reacted by unanimously condemning it in print. One
popular female columnist best crystallized the issue by describing
the directive as an attempt to restrict the freedom to publish "a
view that might oppose an official one." She then goes on to
sarcastically describe the Ministry's efforts as an attempt to make
people "mute suffering spectators who do nothing other than observe,
agree and applaud . . . no matter what degree of harm [government
policy] might inflict upon them."


4. Media insiders agree that the memo likely originated not from the
Minister, but from his Press Director Al-Ajemi in an effort to gain
favor with the new Minister. However, in light of Al-Muhailbi's
statement that he is keen to expand "responsible" press freedoms,
contacts believe he nonetheless supports the content of the memo.
They are convinced that the new minister would like to see more
restrictions placed on the Kuwaiti media. This comes at a time when
the KJA is actively organizing journalists to promote a change in
the press law to remove ambiguously worded restrictions and allow
for greater press freedom.


5. Comment: With battle lines emerging between the KJA and the
Minister, the rescinded memo was just a skirmish. The first battle
could come as early as next month when the KJA conducts a
MEPI-funded workshop to develop draft legislation for amending the
current press law. While the Minister has publicly stated his
support for press freedom, he is most unlikely to receive with favor
a public proposal to amend the current law. End comment.


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For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/?cable s

Visit Kuwait's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/
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LEBARON