Following the recent coup on the opposition media by the fascist Turkish state and the plug being pulled in over 20 networks that were the voice of Kurds, Alevis and workers, French satellite company Eutelsat suspended the broadcast of Belgium based pro-Kurdish MED Nuçe TV last week.

The French company has also stopped the broadcast of Newroz TV, which covers issues from East Kurdistan and Iran and broadcasts in Sorani, Gorani and Kurmanci dialects of Kurdish and in Persian, at 11:00 European time on Tuesday.

The TV had been broadcasting via Hotbird and Nilesat so far, and will continue its broadcast only via Nilesat, which means that it will not be accessible in Europe.

Eutelsat General Director Rodolphe Belmer spoke to the French Senate Commission of Economy last week and repeated that the decision to stop Med Nûçe’s broadcast was made on the request of RTÜK, the Radio and Television Supreme Council of Turkey. Belmer admitted that they had to cooperate with Turkish authorities because they have operations in Turkey and accepted that they made the decision to stop the broadcast only on the demand of RTÜK.

Belmer tried to defend stopping Med Nûçe’s broadcast by RTÜK’s demand by saying “RTÜK is a member of the supreme councils of broadcasts in Europe” and claimed they were acting according to French and European law.