Med Nuçe and Newroz TV had sued Eutelsat at the Paris Commercial Court after Eutelsat’s decision to end the broadcast of the two channels. The court had decided that Eutelsat’s decision was illegal and ordered Eutelsat to pay a fine and resume the broadcast of the two TV channels through the Hotbird satellite. TV administrators and lawyer had contacted Eutelsat soon after the court decisions on November 16 in order to resume the channels’ broadcast.

ILLEGAL CONTRACT IMPOSED

Since then, Eutelsat administrators and lawyers have made many excuses in order to keep the two channels off-air, canceled the channels’ current contracts, and argued that the broadcast could be resumed if the channels’ current apling procedures were moved to France.

After much effort, TV signals were retrieved to the Eutelsat center and the frequency procedures were completed. However this time, Eutelsat offered a new contract to Med Nuçe and Newroz TV that would allows the company to end the channels’ broadcast without any legal procedures.

'OUR STRUGGLE WILL CONTINUE'

Med Nuçe and Newroz TV made a statement on the issue and emphasized that they would continue their legal struggle against Eutelsat and continue to inform journalistic institutions and unions, which had shown solidarity with the two channels, during the legal battle against Eutelsat’s illegal acts.

EUTELSAT’S COMMERCE WITH TURKEY

Eutelsat’s recent acts defy the decision of the French court, and can be interpreted as the company’s economic ties to and agreements with the Turkish state. Yesterday, Eutelsat launched Göktürk 1 for the Turkish army for a fee of nearly a billion USD. The company has been collaborating with the Turkish state and Turkish partners in order to implement projects in the Middle East, Asia and Africa.