26 February 1998

Alert

Satirical TV program taken off air


Incident details

legal action


(IPI/IFEX) - According to IPI, the satirical program Hashove (Rebels), which
ran sketches parodying key members of the government, was officially taken
off the air last week "due to irregularities in its sponsorship contract."
This decision, however, was made in the wake of a heated media debate as to
whether Hashove undermined state authority.




IPI believes that plurality of published opinion must exist in a true
democracy. Suppressing opposing views can only have negative repercussions
for the society as a whole.


Recommended Action


Send appeals to authorities:

  • urging them to launch an inquiry into the Hashove case to determine whether
    political factors played a part in the decision
  • asking them to ensure that the public debate in Bulgaria is permitted to
    flourish




    Appeals To



    H. E. Peter Stoyanov
    President of Bulgaria
    Sofia
    Bulgaria
    Fax: +3 592 875 601/+3 592 822 574







    Please copy appeals to the source if possible.





    • Source

    International Press Institute
    Spiegelgasse 2
    1010 Vienna
    Austria
    ipi (@) freemedia.at
    Fax:+ 43 1 5129014

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