Iran’s Al Alam TV station raided in Egypt

Rebecca Hawkes ©RapidTVNews | 14-05-2012



Egyptian security forces have raided the office of Iranian TV channel Al Alam in Cairo and confiscated equipment for failing to have a license to operate in Egypt.

Ahmed el-Sioufi, office director of the news channel said Al Alam has repeatedly applied for a broadcasting license, but like other private satellite operators, has not been given documentation.

"It was exactly like what happened to Al Jazeera Mubasher [Misr]," Ahmed Sioufi is quoted as saying in Al-Masry Al-Youm, adding that he would soon hold a press conference to explain what happened.

"We will show our license applications that the Egyptian authorities declined to approve over and over again," he said.

Security forces raided the offices of the local Al Jazeera live channel in September 2011 citing similar reasons. Al Jazeera Mubasher Misr, which began transmissions after the fall of President Hosni Mubarak in February 2011, has since returned to air.