Sharjah Police deny issuing travel ban on reporter :: Gulf News

"Sharjah police have been closely following with deep concern what was written in Arabic and English local dailies about the travel ban and the detention of the reporter at Dubai International Airport.

"The police would like to clarify the plaintiff filed a lawsuit against the reporter and Gulf News UAE Editor Duraid Al Baik for publishing the defamatory report, mentioning she was assaulted because of her ethnic background, referring also to her nickname, her profession and place of work.

"The police asked both of them to come to Sharjah police for investigation. As there was no response Sharjah police issued an arrest warrant against them," the statement said.

The plaintiff is quoted in The Khaleej Times:

Iqbal Al Tamimi, a TV journalist and one of Sharjah slasher’s victims, has asserted that she was quoted without her knowledge or consent by the local daily Gulf News. Speaking at a Press conference organised by the Sharjah Police yesterday, she said: “The report written by Basma Al Jandly was false and fabricated, and most of the information stated were incorrect and inaccurate. I have never met the reporter nor did she call me for a comment.” Al Tamimi said: “The fabricated Gulf News report published on February 25 mentioned that the assault could be motivated by my political or ethnic background, but this was totally wrong.

She said that several media organisations had called her for her comments but that she had refused to provide them with information, because the Sharjah Police had requested her not to talk on the issue with the Press, as it would affect the investigation process and might cause the attacker to assault her again.

“All reporters from other newspapers who called me for a comment respected my explanation and no one published anything despite the fact that most of them had the correct information which they obtained from other sources including the hospital,” said Al Tamimi. “On February 25, I was shocked to read the fabricated report published by Gulf News which contributed to damaging my reputation. My services were terminated from several media establishments where I was working as a contributor, because I refused to give them my comments and then it had appeared in the Gulf News.”
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Al Tamimi lodged a complaint against the Gulf News reporter on March 2 for defamation and for quoting her without her permission. Al Tamimi, a widow with three children, said that although she couldn’t have enough money to hire a lawyer to defend her in the court, she would not have hesitated to lodge a court case, even if she had to sell the house of her children in her home country.