Decision – Ahlebait TV Networks
| Published date | 25 April 2023 |
Sanction 156 (22) Ahlebait TV Networks
1
Sanction: Decision by Ofcom
Decision: Sanction: to be imposed on Ahlebait TV Networks
For material broadcast on Ahlebait TV on 21 March 2021 1.
Ofcom’s Sanction Decision
against: Ahlebait TV Networks2 (“Ahlebait” or “the Licensee”) in
respect of its service Ahlebait TV (Ofcom TLCS licence
TLCS001585BA/1).
For: Breaches of the Ofcom Broadcasting Code (the “Code”)3 in
respect of:
Rule 3.2: “Material which contains hate speech must not be
included in television…programmes…except where it is
justified by the context”.
Rule 3.3: “Material which contains abusive or derogatory
treatment of individuals, groups, religions or communities,
must not be included in television…services…except where
it is justified by the context…”.
Rule 2.3: “In applying generally accepted standards
broadcasters must ensure that material which may cause
offence is justified by the context…Such material may
include, but is not limited to offensive language,
…discriminatory treatment or language (for example on the
grounds of…race, religion or belief…”.
Ofcom’s Decision: To impose a financial penalty (payable to HM Paymaster
General) of £10,000;
To direct the Licensee not to repeat the programme; and
To direct the Licensee to broadcast a statement of Ofco m’s
findings on a date and in a form to be determined by Ofcom.
1 See Issue 455 of the Broadcast and On Demand Bulletin, 25 July 2022 (“the Breach Decision”)
2 Ahlebait TV Networks was previously called Ahlebait TV Networks Ltd.
3 The version of the Code which was in force at the time of the broadcast took effect on 31 December 2020,
see Broadcasting Code
Sanction 156 (22) Ahlebait TV Networks
2
Executive summary
1. Ahlebait TV is a satellite television channel broadcasting news, religious documentaries,
lectures, current affairs and entertainment programmes to the Shi’a Muslim community in the
UK.
2. On 21 March 2021 at 20:10, Ahlebait broadcast on its television channel, Ahlebait TV, an
episode of 20th Hour - a weekly live programme which discussed current affa irs from an Islamic
perspective. This edition of 20th Hour, called “Money Power, Islam and a Just Order”, was 52
minutes long.
3. This episode featured a presenter, Mohsin Abbas (“Mr Abbas”), and two contributors, Musa
Pidcock (“Mr Pidcock”)4 and Clive Menzies (“Mr Menzies”), who discussed their views that
traditional monetary systems were being used by some countries to exert power over other
countries. They also discussed how new monetary systems might be dev eloped to create their
vision of a fairer world order and the role Islam could p lay in achieving this by shunning usury.
4. The programme included statements from Mr Pidcock which depicted the persecution o f Jewish
people as a divine punishment for practising usury in such a way to impo verish many of the
societies they had lived in over the last millennium. Ofcom considered the statements that
described Jewish people practising usury, not cancelling debt a nd impoverishing people evoked
a common derogatory stereotype about Jewish people being dispr oportionately in control of
money lending businesses, being driven by greed and being unwil ling to forgo money to the
detriment of other people. Ofcom also found the programme included refer ences to a
derogatory stereotype to justify the expulsion of Jewish people from various societies and
countries throughout history and also placed exclusive blame for this persecution on Jewish
people themselves.
5. The programme also included statements from Mr Menzies who falsely accused a key Jewish
figure – Theodor Herzl5 – and Jewish people more w idely of creating antisemitism. Ofcom
concluded that these statements presented antisemitism as a fo rm of Jewish propaganda rather
than a term to describe hatred towards Jewish people. In Ofco m’s view, this amounted to a
form of historical revisionism which denied the reality of the persecution J ewish people
suffered at this time, or blamed Jewish people for it.
6. Ofcom found the comments were presented without sufficient context o r any challenge from
the presenter. Ofcom therefore considered the broadcast of these remarks pr omoted and
justified hatred based on intolerance of Jewish people.
The Breach Decision
7. In Ofcom’s Decision published on 25 July 2022 in Issue 455 of the Bro adcast and On Demand
Bulletin (the “Breach Decision”), Ofcom found that this programme contained un contextualised
hate speech6 and breached Rules 3.2, 3.3 a nd 2.3 of the Code.
8. The Breach Decision set out the broadcast material that was in breach, along with reasoning as
to why the material had breached each rule.
9. Ofcom put the Licensee on notice that it considered these breaches to be serious, and that it
would consider them for the imposition of a statutory sanction.
4 David Musa Pidcock (1942 – 2021), founder and leader of the Islamic Party of Britain (now disbanded).
5 Widely regarded as the founder of modern Zionism, Theodor Herzl was an Austro-Hungarian Jewish
journalist, writer, playwright and political activist who advocated the establishment of a Jewish homeland.
6 Section Three of the Code defines “hate speech” as: “all forms of expression which spread, incite, promote or
justify hatred based on intolerance on the grounds of disability, ethnicity, gender, gender reassignment,
nationality, race, religion, or sexual orientation”.
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