Saudi Arabia will shut down a number of satellite TV channels that promote sectarianism and disunity in the oil-rich country, according to Arab News Saturday.
The Ministry of Culture will begin taking action against those channels found broadcasting programs hostile to the government of Saudi Arabia, according to a source within the ministry.
The source made the remarks after the recent decision of Abdel Aziz Khoja, former minister of information, to close down the office of the Wesal TV channel in Riyadh for promoting violence, hatred and sectarian division. The source confirmed that action was taken against Wesal TV to prohibit the broadcasting of its programs in Saudi Arabia, stressing the ministry will not tolerate any channel promoting such hostility in society.
Wesal and other channels were blamed for the deadly shooting of last week by extremists in Al-Ahsa that killed and wounded Shiite Saudis who were marking the Ashoora anniversary of the death of Prophet Mohammed's grandson Al Hussain.
No further details were provided about the names of those to-be- closed channels and when the actions will be taken against them.