JEDDAH, 24 December 2007 — Culture and Information Minister Iyad Madani has highlighted the press freedom in Saudi Arabia and said his ministry had put no restrictions on foreign journalists and media persons who came for Haj coverage. “We did not tell any foreign news agency or television station what they should cover and what they should not ... and with whom they should speak and with whom they should not ... the field was open to them and all facilities have been provided so they could do their work in an objective manner,” the minister said.
“This is one of the features of media work in Saudi Arabia and we at the Ministry of Culture and Information will not dictate that the Saudi media or a newspaper must say what we want it to say and we also will not exert influence on the foreign media to say what we want it to say,” he added.
Madani made these comments while addressing a reception held by his ministry at the Jeddah Hilton on Saturday night in honor of foreign media delegations that had come to cover the Haj. He refuted allegations that his ministry was dictating to Saudi print and electronic media what to publish and what to show on the screen.
The minister also referred to the speech made by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah while receiving foreign dignitaries who performed Haj this year.
The king emphasized the need for tolerance and promoting dialogue with people of other faiths. “We, the media persons, should carry the king’s message in order to give it wider publicity,” he added.
Madani said his ministry would study a proposal made by a foreign media delegate on organizing a cultural and media seminar during the Haj season in order to provide a forum for media persons attending the event to exchange views.
Speaking at the reception, Nasser Abdul Qader Mahal, director general of the Algerian News Agency, stressed the role of the Haj pilgrimage in providing a true picture of Islam, highlighting Islamic unity, solidarity, tolerance and openness to other cultures and religions.
