KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Ministry of Information has canceled the licenses of three television channels operated by a media group which also owns a newspaper known for speaking out against the government, state news agency KUNA said.

The decision to take the Al-Watan, Al-Watan Plus and Al-Watan Ghanawi channels off the air was a result of an earlier Trade Ministry’s decision to cancel the business license of operator Kuwait Media Group, the agency said.

The group, which also published Al-Watan newspaper — known for being critical of the government — had its license canceled by Kuwait’s trade minister in January on the grounds that it had violated corporate regulations.

Al-Watan was one of two newspapers suspended by a judge for two weeks last year after IT reported on an audio recording that discussed an alleged plot to overthrow the state’s rulers.

Kuwait has about a dozen daily newspapers, which often include criticism of government ministers.