BBC cancels debate on Islam and politics

pulse

November 14, 2016 11:56 AM

Nobel literature laureate and political rebel author Orhan Pamuk of Turkey was to be among the guests, according to l'Economiste.

The BBC was forced to move a debate on Islam and politics from Morocco to another country because of problems over filming permissions

The BBC has been forced to move a debate on Islam and politics from Morocco to another country because of problems over filming permissions, the broadcaster has said.

"Global Questions, our highly respected and internationally renowned current affairs programme, had planned to travel to Casablanca in Morocco for a debate about Islam's place in politics", the BBC told AFP on Sunday.

"Unfortunately, for unforeseen reasons related to permissions, we will no longer be filming this debate in Morocco but plan to take it to an alternative country," a spokesperson said.

French-language Moroccan newspaper l'Economiste said the episode would instead be filmed in Tunisia.

A flagship BBC debate programme, Global Questions is presented by Sudanese-British journalist Zeinab Badawi and broadcast on both television and radio.

The broadcaster said the episode was to be an "informed and balanced discussion" of the role of Islam in politics in Morocco and the region.

It was to feature a "high-profile panel of political, civil society and religious figures", it said.

The programme had been set to be recorded in late September for broadcast on December 4.

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