Dismissal of Jordanian journalist Farah Maraqa was 'legally unjustified': German court

Palestine

Published: 2022-09-06 11:43

Last Updated: 2024-03-27 23:11


Dismissal of Jordanian journalist Farah Maraqa was 'legally unjustified': German court
Dismissal of Jordanian journalist Farah Maraqa was 'legally unjustified': German court

Monday, a German court announced that the dismissal of the Jordanian journalist Farah Maraqa by the German broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW) on charges of anti-Semitism was ‘legally unjustified.’

She said that the labor court ruled that DW’s termination of her "employment was legally unjustified."

In a Facebook post, Maraqa wrote, “A date for celebrations! The labor court gave me justice today: #DeutscheWelle’s termination of my employment was legally unjustified. I won 100%.

“I am grateful for all your support.”

 

In February 2022, Maraqa was informed of the decision to "officially" terminate her from German broadcaster (DW), without giving reasons.

Jordanian journalists and human rights activists had issued a statement calling for justice from the German International Public Radio (DW) for Arab journalists who were suspended from work in December 2021 after allegations of anti-Semitism arose and an investigation into old publications was opened.

In a statement, which Roya received a copy of, Maraqa resided in Berlin for four and a half years, after being employed by Deutsche Welle (DW), passing successfully all employments' levels due to her experience, professionalism, independence and respect for journalistic ethics. These features were prominent in her bold press coverage inside and outside Jordan.

She was also known for her defense of the freedom of the press, publication, opinion and expression, and at a time when Maraqa and her colleagues were subjected to a systematic demonization campaign aimed at excluding them, silencing their free words, and harming their professional and personal future.

“Therefore, we condemn the grave violations in German media by publishing Maraqa’s name and full address, along with allegations and accusations that such allegations are facts and for granted, and without listening to her objectively or granting the right of a balanced response, and this violates her right of privacy, losses the presumption of innocence and deprives her of the right to defend herself fairly which exposes her to defamation and possibly danger,” the statement added.

Roya Media Group (RMG) regrets the declared decision of Deutsche Welle (DW) to suspend its agreements with Roya after a hostile campaign was launched accusing Roya of “antisemitism.”

“We have had a successful professional relationship with DW since 2011 during which we have never had any incident that jeopardized our shared values,” said Fares Sayegh, CEO of the group.

Sayegh stressed, “Fighting racism in all of its forms, including anti-Semitism, is a core value that we cherish, and therefore we strongly condemn the false accusations that have sprung and which led to DW issuing its statement.”

“Meanwhile, the group calls upon all media organizations to differentiate in clear terms the difference between the criticism of illegal, inhumane or racist actions by Israel as a state and antisemitism, which is racism against Jews,” the CEO added.

“Roya Media Group is committed to its Code of Ethics that incorporates (Find the Truth and Report It, Be Independent and Be Objective),” said Sayegh, adding that “The Code is the reason why Roya has achieved the first place amongst Jordanian news organizations. The Code ensures we are at the service of disseminating the truth to the public. No one should expect us not to cover Israeli hostile actions that affect innocent civilians in fear of accusations of antisemitism.”

Roya Media Group reserves its right to take any necessary action in light of the accusations, and holds its values at the core of its business and cherishes its relationships with partners worldwide.