DOHA: The Doha Center for Media Freedom said on Monday that it has sacked its Dutch director general, Jan Keulen, without giving a reason for his departure.
Keulen took up the post in 2011, two years after his predecessor Robert Menard resigned and complained that the organization was “stifled” by authorities and lacked independence.
“Doha Center for Media Freedom has announced the departure of its general director, Jan Keulen, who was relieved of his duties on Nov. 26,” it said. The statement said a replacement was being sought for Keulen, but did not provide any more details about the decision, which staff had been informed of on Sunday.
Keulen himself said he was unsure as to why he had been fired, as he confirmed his departure in a message posted on Facebook.
“I’m leaving Doha Center for Media Freedom ... Of course, there remain a lot of unanswered questions why I was sacked this way, but I’m sure we’ll know more in the coming weeks and months,” he wrote.
The Doha Center for Media Freedom was created in 2007 by the Qatar Foundation chaired by Sheikha Moza bint Nasser Al-Masnad — the mother of emir — and global media watchdog Reporters Without Borders. The Center describes itself as “a non-profit organization working for press freedom and quality journalism in Qatar, the Middle East and the world.”
Qatar sacks Dutch head of media freedom center
