French satellite operator Eutelsat has said it had no right to turn off a Syrian television station that is broadcasting audio
messages by ousted Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.
Gaddafi, whose whereabouts are unknown, has defiantly spoken several times on Syria-based Arrai TV since losing control of Tripoli on Aug. 23, calling on his supporters to continue their resistance to the new authorities.
Eutel, the world's third-largest satellite operator, said earlier it was in contact with local distributor Noorsat to see whether Noorsat could stop transmitting Arrai and sister channel al-Oruba, which has also give Gaddafi a platform to speak.
We talked to Noorsat and Noorsat removed al-Oruba, Eutelsat spokeswoman Vanessa O'Connor said. That was their decision and their action. Arrai is still broadcasting and as things stand at the moment we have taken it as far as we can.
O'Connor added that Eutelsat did not judge or censor content and it was not up to it to make the decision to stop transmissions.
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