Having a center for media freedom in a country with no media freedom invites all levels of criticism and harms the credibility of all of the country’s institutions. If the media freedom center can’t create an environment willing to accept media freedom, then why should we trust that the Qatar Financial Center Regulatory Authority can actually regulate the financial markets, or that the Human Rights Committee is in a position to protect anyone’s rights?
Qatar should just face up to the obvious reality and accept that it doesn’t want (or in the eyes of some, need) press freedom. The ruling elite don’t want political, economic or ethical scrutiny of the country. They want to be left to do what they like, and the rest of us should just shut up and put up with the consequences.
I hope they leave.
Having a center for media freedom in a country with no media freedom invites all levels of criticism and harms the credibility of all of the country’s institutions. If the media freedom center can’t create an environment willing to accept media freedom, then why should we trust that the Qatar Financial Center Regulatory Authority can actually regulate the financial markets, or that the Human Rights Committee is in a position to protect anyone’s rights?
Qatar should just face up to the obvious reality and accept that it doesn’t want (or in the eyes of some, need) press freedom. The ruling elite don’t want political, economic or ethical scrutiny of the country. They want to be left to do what they like, and the rest of us should just shut up and put up with the consequences.