Prohibition of filming in government buildings, universities, places of worship, hospitals, as well as private residences and businesses: a few weeks before the kick-off of the Football World Cup, the teams of televisions discovered the filming permit issued by the Qatari authorities. The opportunities to show the backstage of this World Cup look slim for journalists.
Reporters Without Borders denounces the emirate’s manifest desire to discourage journalists from doing their job outside the stadiums. ” By requiring the media, when applying for accreditation, to agree to abide by a number of conditions, some of which are vague, ambiguous and subject to arbitrary interpretation, Qatar is clearly seeking to discourage, if not prevent, the foreign press from talk about something other than football. »
Officially, Qatar has eased its working restrictions for foreign journalists. A previous filming permit obtained by RSF contained a clause prohibiting the production of reports “ inappropriate or offensive to Qatari culture and to Islamic principles “. Conditions deleted, as is the mention of the regions, streets and neighborhoods where my journalists can film.
But there is no question of allowing journalists or visitors to draw cameras, cameras or smartphones anywhere: on the official site for requesting media accreditations, we can read that it is forbidden to film or photograph “ residential properties, private businesses and industrial areas » but also all areas where a sign indicates that filming is prohibited. A ban that is obviously made to prevent images from being taken in the area where violations of the rights of migrant workers have been reported, or any other places that could be a source of embarrassment for the State.