Syria Says U.S. Media Sanctions Violate Press Freedom

Syrian state media on Tuesday lashed out at Washington for slapping sanctions on a key official broadcasting network, saying the U.S. move constituted a "violation" of press freedom.

Washington on Monday slapped economic sanctions on Syrian General Organization of Radio and TV, saying the state media network of Damascus was aiding the regime in its brutal campaign to put down a popular uprising.

Syria's official news agency SANA criticized Washington's move.

These sanctions "are a violation of freedom of opinion and the press which the United States and Western countries boast about," the agency said.

"The U.S. position betrays the false Western discourse ... and proves that the principles of press freedom and democracy touted by these powers are only slogans they use to serve their interests and political agendas," it said.

"These sanctions also show the role played by (Syrian) public broadcasting and other national media in reflecting the embarrassment of the U.S. by laying bare their disinformation campaign and media lies against Syria," it said.

Since the revolt against President Bashar al-Assad erupted a year ago, his regime has imposed restrictions on the media, especially the Western press, for its coverage of violence which Damascus blames on "armed terrorist groups."

This message is widely reported by Syrian official media which rarely mentions the large number of civilian casualties reported by activists.

"The official media are the last to talk about press freedom," said Rami Abdul Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory of Human Rights. "They express only a single opinion, that of the regime."

U.S. Treasury, meanwhile, strongly criticized the Syrian General Organization of Radio and TV which it targeted in its sanctions.

The network "has served as an arm of the Syrian regime as it mounts increasingly barbaric attacks on its own population and seeks both to mask and legitimize its violence," said Adam Szubin of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control.