(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has criticised a Lebanese press court’s confirmation of a decision to shut down the privately-owned television station Murr TV (MTV), which is critical of Syria, and its affiliate radio station, Radio Mont-Liban. The court rejected an appeal of the decision on 21 October 2002. “We are very disturbed by this decision, which […]
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has criticised a Lebanese press court’s confirmation of a decision to shut down the privately-owned television station Murr TV (MTV), which is critical of Syria, and its affiliate radio station, Radio Mont-Liban. The court rejected an appeal of the decision on 21 October 2002.
“We are very disturbed by this decision, which clearly aims to muzzle the opposition media,” said RSF Secretary-General Robert Ménard. “The press should not be pawns in the settling of political scores (…) The authorities have also waited until the day after the conclusion of the Francophonie Summit in Beirut to announce this,” he said, noting that the Summit’s final statement had stressed “the universal and indissociable nature of all civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights.”
On 5 September, RSF had condemned the violence with which police closed the offices of MTV and Radio Mont-Liban. The previous day, the press court had ordered the two stations to shut down under Article 68 of the 1996 Electoral Law, which bans unauthorised political propaganda during parliamentary by-elections. The heated election campaign took place in Metn (north of Beirut) in June. RSF noted that Article 68 was being enforced for the first time.
MTV was also accused of broadcasting material that was “damaging relations with Syria and undermining President Emile Lahud’s dignity”.
