Belqees TV, owned by Yemeni Nobel Peace Prize laureate Tawakkol Karman, announced it has halted broadcasting and closed its offices after ten years on air, attributing the decision to unspecified “compelling circumstances.” The channel, which has been operating from Turkey since 2015, confirmed that it will maintain activity on its digital platforms until conditions allow for the resumption of television broadcasting.
The shutdown comes amid heightened political and legal debate surrounding media activities linked to Karman, who has faced growing criticism from Arab and international bodies alleging that some of her public statements amount to incitement or politically charged messaging that exceeds traditional journalistic boundaries.
Commenting on the developments, Mourad Elajouti, President of the Moroccan Lawyers Club, said that—based on his reading—the decision by Turkish authorities fits within a legal process initiated after a formal complaint was filed with the Turkish Public Prosecutor. The complaint was accompanied by digital evidence documenting what he described as content inciting violence and targeting the institutions of a sovereign state.
El Ajouti noted that the material submitted included social media posts attributed to Karman, which Turkish law may classify as offenses related to incitement to undermine public security or insulting the head of a foreign state.
According to him, the progression of the case toward the closure of the channel, the seizure of equipment, and the opening of a judicial investigation suggests that Turkish authorities have treated the matter as a criminal file. He added that international standards on combating incitement to terrorism have become increasingly strict, leaving little room for the use of media or digital platforms in ways that could be interpreted as encouraging actions threatening the stability of states.
Karman herself has not issued any direct reaction following the announcement of the shutdown. Belqees TV simply stressed that it would continue its presence in the digital sphere—a move that keeps the situation open to a range of political, legal, and diplomatic possibilities as Turkish authorities proceed with their measures.
Earlier, the Moroccan Lawyers Club filed an official criminal complaint with the Turkish Public Prosecutor against Karman on charges that include incitement to hatred, glorification of terrorism, and insulting Moroccan state institutions through social media posts. El Ajouti said the step was based on a series of posts published by Karman during youth-led “Generation Z” protests in several Moroccan cities, which the organization considered explicit calls for violence and disorder.
