How low can a media channel sink?

Alarabiya, the Saudi news channel, found nothing better as a headline than the personal life of Ms. Shahrazad Al Jaafari, daughter of Mr. Bashar Al Jaafari, the Permanent Representative of the Syrian Arab Republic to the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

Of course, we do not expect a Saudi network to have any respect for people’s private lives, but the report the channel published on its two websites, in Arabic here, and in English here, gives us a good idea about the mentality of people running this station, and claiming to support the fight for “freedom” in Syria.

Never mind how irrelevant this is, because I am sure the channel would do just anything to punish Mr. Al jaafari for his political views, but just take a look at the personal pictures the channel posted in this report. A western reader may ask themselves: What does this have to do with the political views of Ms. Al Jaafari? Nothing of course, but to a reader in KSA, and to many “freedom fighters” in Syria, this represents a “licentious” lifestyle, and is enough to call her all different kinds of names, and provoke all kinds of chauvinistic comments against her. Just imagine what freedom lovers in any of the three videos we discussed in this report would think of a girl in a normal dress like the one she is wearing in the photos.

What is even more preposterous is the comment the channel’s editor made about the “steamy conversations and images which Al Arabiya will refrain from publishing.”

Please bear in mind that Shahrazad is only in her early 20s. Just imagine the impact such a sleazy report will have on the young woman’s life. Imagine Alarbiya publishing a similar report on a Saudi princess for example, how would the Saudi regime respond to that? Imagine them publishing something similar on your daughter, sister, or self, how would YOU react?

A news channel that has nothing better to do but prey on the personal lives of people who do not agree with its political orientation is with now doubt worth a lot of lawsuits, and a court order to close it.

Written by Syria Tribune