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Press, 18 April 1980, Page 6

Dutch television showed the British-made TV film, “Death of a Princess,” yesterday, despite objections from the Saudi Arabian Government that the film was an insult to Islam. The executive board of the Dutch Broadcasting Corporation voted 19-7 just hours before the scheduled broadcast not to delay the film. The vote was 19-6 against a motion not to show the film at all. The film depicts the extra-marital love affair and execution in 1977 of a Saudi princess and her lover. A scene from the film shown above depicts the body of the princess (far right) after she was publicly executed by firing squad while her lover is beheaded. Saudi officials condemned the film as false and an attack on Islam. Before the film was shown yesterday, King Khalid of Saudi Arabia asked the Dutch Prime Minister (Mr Andries van Agt) to block the broadcast. Mr van Agt, who received the appeal during a trip to Indonesia, said in Jakarta he regretted the film was being shown, Dutch news reports said. Blit Mr van Agt said the Government was powerless under Dutch law to interfere with the broadcasting system. The Saudi Ambassador to the Netherlands earlier had made a similar request, saying DutchSaudi relations would suffer serious damage if the film were shown. The Tunisian Ambassador to the Netherland, also protested on behalf of . all Arab nations. As a concession to the strong objections voiced in the Islamic world, the Saudi Ambassador . and Muslim representatives were given air time after the film was shown.