Kurdish cleric’s TV channel to shut down for 'offending' women
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – A local TV channel run by Mullah Mazhar Khorasani, a prominent cleric, has been shut down by the culture ministry for broadcasting remarks offensive to women.
It will remain off air until further notice, Gardi added.
“[Khorasani] has to bring an official letter from the Religious and Endowment Ministry to reopen the channel and promise that he will no longer offend anyone,” Gardi said.
Khorasani dismissed the allegations, saying he has not offended “anyone.”
“I am ready to make it clear for the culture ministry that I have not offended anyone and my speeches are misused and are published in a manipulated form,” he added.
“The word came as a result of telling a story – otherwise it is not my behavior to offend any individual of the society,” Khorasani explained, following criticism.
Social media users accuse Khorasani of encouraging polygamy – whereby men take more than one wife.
In one of his programs, Khorasani encourages people not to marry Kurdish women, who he claims behave like an “Agha” – a tribal chief or master. He also said Kurdish women don’t know how to serve their husbands.
“Since Mullah Mazhar Khorasani offended women through the Srusht channel, we decided to close down the channel and the decree will take effect from Sunday,” Mohammed Gardi, general manager of media in the culture ministry, told Rudaw.
It will remain off air until further notice, Gardi added.
“[Khorasani] has to bring an official letter from the Religious and Endowment Ministry to reopen the channel and promise that he will no longer offend anyone,” Gardi said.
Khorasani dismissed the allegations, saying he has not offended “anyone.”
“I am ready to make it clear for the culture ministry that I have not offended anyone and my speeches are misused and are published in a manipulated form,” he added.
Srusht is a private channel owned by Khorasani. In one of his programs, Khorasani referred to Kurdish women as “dinosaurs.”
“The word came as a result of telling a story – otherwise it is not my behavior to offend any individual of the society,” Khorasani explained, following criticism.
Social media users accuse Khorasani of encouraging polygamy – whereby men take more than one wife.
In one of his programs, Khorasani encourages people not to marry Kurdish women, who he claims behave like an “Agha” – a tribal chief or master. He also said Kurdish women don’t know how to serve their husbands.