About a year ago the Doha Center for Media Freedom was opened by the Qatar Foundation. The DCMF was part of an effort on the Qataris part to attract Northwestern University to offer degrees in Journalism and Media Studies. However, the Qataris had to give assurances about freedom of the press, and that the students would be working in a milieux of professional ethics and journalistic integrity. Says one person working in the country with familiarity with the situation: “The DCMF was to be that media watchdog organization that would have free rein reporting on the evolving first free press to develop in the Arab world.”
Recently, a DCMF journalist was barred from leaving the country:
Hajar Smouni, head of research at the Doha Centre for Media Freedom and former member of the Reporters Without Borders staff, was prevented from leaving Qatar on March 24, while on her way to meet with Bahraini authorities to discuss the country’s new press law.
Reporters Without Borders said they are deeply concerned about a hardening in the attitude of the Qatari authorities towards the Doha Centre.
“The Doha Centre has for months been struggling to keep its independence and is under pressure from the Qatari authorities,” Reporters Without Borders secretary-general Jean-François Julliard said. “This ban is a violation of the undertakings Qatar gave to the Doha Centre.”
Qatar’s sponsorship laws require that non-citizens be issued an exit visa provided by the responsible Qatari employment party. While it is illegal to hold people’s passports, it is standard practice to do so for those people employed in the media. “Thus, one might be very careful about what they would write or say if they felt they might face difficulties getting out or back into the country.”
