Lebanon

(RSF/IFEX) – RSF Secretary-General Robert Ménard, who is currently in Lebanon, has voiced dismay at the murder of columnist Samir Kassir, of “An-Nahar” newspaper, who was killed when his car blew up in Beirut on the morning of 2 June 2005. “We are in a complete state of shock after Samir Kassir’s cowardly murder,” Ménard […]

(IPA/IFEX) – The following is a 15 December 2004 IPA press release: INTERNATIONAL PUBLISHERS URGE LEBANESE AUTHORITIES TO LIFT BAN ON DAN BROWN’S “THE DA VINCI CODE” Reacting to IPA’s initial condemnation of the September confiscation of Dan Brown’s book, the Lebanese authorities recently acknowledged the role played by the General Security Department in the […]

(IPA/IFEX) – The following is a 12 November 2004 IPA press release: INTERNATIONAL PUBLISHERS CONDEMN BANNING OF “THE DA VINCI CODE” IN LEBANON The International Publishers’ Association (IPA) condemns the confiscation of Dan Brown’s “The Da Vinci Code” in Lebanon. According to several reports, the “sûreté” asked Lebanon’s Catholic Information Centre for their opinion on […]

(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has condemned an attempt to intimidate journalist Ali Hashisho, after he found grenades left on the windshield of his car parked outside his home. RSF is concerned about this threat of physical harm to the journalist, which it says was “obviously intended to silence him and prevent him from carrying out his […]

(RSF/IFEX) – In a letter to Lebanese Information Minister Michel Samaha, RSF branded a 48-hour ban on news and political broadcasts on New Television (NTV), an independent television station, as “harassment.” The ban began on 16 December 2003 at 3:00 p.m. (local time). “The Lebanese authorities’ attitude toward the media, in particular broadcasters, is completely […]

(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has warned the Lebanese authorities against obstructing press freedom following the arrest of commercial television station owner Tahsin Khayat. The organisation urged political leaders not to sacrifice diversity in news media, especially in broadcast media, because of political rivalries. “The arrest of a TV station owner, apparently for political reasons, is a […]

(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has voiced concern about a rocket attack on the studios of Future TV (Al-Mustaqbal) during the night of 14 to 15 June 2003. The station is owned by Lebanese Prime Minister Rafic Hariri. The station’s chief executive, Ali Jaber, and Information Minister Michel Samaha said the rocket caused serious damage but no […]

(RSF/IFEX) – RSF wrote to State Prosecutor Adnan Addoum on 14 March 2003, urging him to drop the judicial investigation launched on 13 March against the liberal daily “An-Nahar”, one of Lebanon’s leading newspapers, because of an 11 March column, entitled “Letter to God”, that angered certain Muslim leaders in the country. In the contentious […]

(RSF/IFEX) – On 7 January 2003, RSF urged the new secretary-general of the Francophonie (the international organisation of French-speaking countries), former Senegalese president Abdou Diouf, to condemn the attacks on press freedom in Lebanon that have resulted from an outbreak of political score-settling. The organisation noted that since Lebanon hosted the Ninth Summit of the […]

(RSF/IFEX) – On 27 December 2002, Lebanon’s press appeals court confirmed a decision to shut down the privately-owned television station Murr Television (MTV) and the radio station Jebel Lubnan (Mount Lebanon), both of which belong to the Gabriel Murr media group. “The definitive closure of these two opposition media is a very serious omen for […]

(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 […]

(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a 5 September 2002 CPJ press release: LEBANON: Broadcast stations shut down New York, September 5, 2002-Lebanese security officers yesterday raided the private Lebanese television station Murr TV (MTV) and Mount Lebanon Radio Station, roughed up employees, and forcibly shut down the stations. One MTV employee told the Committee to […]

(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a 7 August 2002 CPJ press release: LEBANON: TV station under investigation New York, August 7, 2002-The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is deeply concerned about the investigation ordered yesterday by a state prosecutor in Lebanon into accusations that Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation International (LBCI), a private television station, is responsible […]

(RSF/IFEX) – On 14 May 2002, RSF expressed concern about the prosecution of journalist Saada Allao of the Lebanese daily “As Safir”. Allao is being prosecuted for writing articles criticising the country’s legal system. RSF demanded that the legal action against her be dropped. “Why is this journalist facing three years in prison when she […]

(RSF/IFEX) – In a letter to Lebanese Interior Minister Elias el-Murr, RSF protested a police attack on six journalists at the site of a disaster on 23 March 2002. “An investigation must be launched to shed light on this deplorable act that comes just a few days before the Arab League summit in Beirut,” said […]

(RSF/IFEX) – In a letter to President Emile Lahoud, RSF protested the Lebanese authorities’ decision to subject the daily “As Sharq el Awsat” to advance censorship. “We are particularly concerned by this measure, which seems to indicate the General Security Department’s intention to extend its control over media,” said Robert Ménard, the organisation’s secretary-general. He […]