Multiple journalists expressed their dismay on Twitter after the shutting down of Dubai-based newspaper Al Roeya and the firing of “dozens of employees”.
An investigation by Associated Press revealed mass firings after the newspaper reported on high fuel prices – a story that “editors agreed” was “safe...even under the strict press laws of the United Arab Emirates”. The story in question was published in June.
A “firestorm” ensued, Associated Press reported. Employees were fired and the print paper was “declared dissolved”.
However, the newspaper’s publisher – owned by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the brother of UAE’s president – said the print edition was closed due to its “transformation into a new Arabic language business outlet with CNN”.
Regardless, journalists and others expressed concern on social media about this “censorship”.
It's a reminder to us all on the geopolitical circuit just how media in UAE are in the pocket of the ruling elite and are part of an enormous PR campaign. The GCC is practically a journalism free zone, sadly. I mean look at how far this was taken for such a tiny story.
— MartinRJay (@MartinRJay) September 13, 2022
Another cracking story by @IsabelDeBre. There were so many good journalists at AlRoeya. My thoughts are with them. https://t.co/2QPoelt9do
— Alex Malouf (@alex_malouf) September 13, 2022
Mass firing at #UAE newspaper raises question of censorship “The UAE touts itself as liberal and open to business while continuing its repression,” said Cathryn Grothe, an analyst at the Washington-based group Freedom House @IsabelDeBre (from @AP) https://t.co/B0itRGJVlk
— Bassem Mroue باسم مروه (@bmroue) September 13, 2022
Censorship and suppression for anything outside dominant narratives https://t.co/4GYSc4neUU
— Barrak Alzaid | برّاك الزيد (@barrakstar) September 13, 2022
Disheartening. Most people knew why the outlet closed down abruptly; it was a public secret. It’s quite embarrassing that it’s making headlines in global outlets now.
— Mira Al Hussein (@miraalhussein) September 13, 2022
Can someone with political weight please intervene? Be our hero.
Regionally, we fare poorly.#RaiseTheBar https://t.co/SIELiuay26
The purge at Al Roeya reflects the intense challenges facing local journalists in the autocratic UAE, even as it courts Western media companies.
— Tassos Morfis (@TassosMorfis) September 13, 2022
The United Arab Emirates ranks only 138 out of 180 countries in the world press freedom index published annually by Reporters Without Borders.
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