Lebanon

(RSF/IFEX) – In a letter to President Emile Lahoud, RSF expressed its deep concern regarding the fate of two journalists, Habib Younis and Antoine Bassil. Both men were arrested in August 2001 during roundups of anti-Syrian activists. On 10 December, they were referred to the Beirut Military Court. “These two journalists risk the death penalty […]

(RSF/IFEX) – In a letter to Israeli Minister of Defence Benjamin Ben-Eliezer, RSF protested Israeli soldiers’ recent shooting at a team of journalists from the Lebanese television channel Al-Manar on the Lebanese side of the Israeli border. RSF Secretary-General Robert Ménard called on the minister “to make sure that this type of intimidation does not […]

(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a 5 September 2001 CPJ press release: New York, September 5, 2001-The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) today expressed its deep concern about the Lebanese army’s recent lawsuit against two journalists working with the leading Lebanese daily newspaper Al-Nahar. On August 31, Al-Nahar was informed that the army had taken […]

(RSF/IFEX) – In a letter to President Emile Lahoud, RSF protested the continued imprisonment of journalists Antoine Bassil and Habib Younis. The organisation asked him to intervene personally so that the journalists are released. “We are very concerned about the fate of these two journalists. If found guilty of the charges weighing against them, they […]

(RSF/IFEX) – In a letter to President Emile Lahoud, RSF protested the arrests of journalists Antoine Bassil and Habib Younis and expressed its profound concern about the charges weighing against them. “These arrests were carried out illegally. Freedom of expression is increasingly threatened in Lebanon today. There is a clear determination on the part of […]

(RSF/IFEX) – In a letter to Minister of the Interior Elias el-Murr, RSF protested the assault on two journalists and the detention of a third journalist who were covering a demonstration in Beirut on 9 August 2001. The organisation asked the minister to provide “an explanation for the detention and launch an investigation into the […]

(RSF/IFEX) – In a letter to Minister of the Interior Elias El-Murr, RSF expressed its concern following the firing of warning shots at a team from the American news station CNN. The team was reporting in the Hermel region, in north-eastern Lebanon. RSF Secretary-General Robert Ménard asked the minister “to consult with the relevant authorities […]

(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a 5 June 2001 CPJ press release: CPJ Condemns Military Trial of Lebanese-American Correspondent Raghida Dergham Accused of “dealing with the enemy” June 5, 2001 – The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) today condemned the military trial of a New York-based Lebanese reporter who has been charged with “dealing with […]

(CPJ/IFEX) – In a 12 April 2001 letter to Lebanese President Emile Lahoud, CPJ expressed its deep concern about his government’s ongoing harassment of Samir Qassir, a journalist who writes for the Beirut daily “Al-Nahar”. On 28 March, Lebanese security authorities seized Qassir’s passport at Beirut Airport upon his arrival from Amman, where he had […]

(RSF/IFEX) – In a letter to Minister of the Interior Elias al-Murr, RSF protested the shadowing of Samir Kassir, editor of the daily “Al Nahar”, and the confiscation of his passport. RSF Secretary-General Robert Ménard asked the minister “to intervene with the concerned services so that the journalist’s passport is returned” and to “put a […]

(RSF/IFEX) – In a letter to Israeli Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Ehud Barak, RSF protested Israeli soldiers’ shooting at Lebanese journalists on the Israeli-Lebanese border. The organisation called on the prime minister to “ensure that an inquiry is immediately opened and the people responsible for this shooting are punished”. “This act is very […]

(CPJ/IFEX) – In a 7 July 2000 letter to President Emile Lahoud, CPJ strongly protested the Lebanese authorities’ recent decision to annul the passport of Raghida Dergham, the New York bureau chief for the London-based daily “Al-Hayat” and a widely respected commentator on Arab affairs. On 19 June, Lebanese authorities seized Dergham’s Lebanese passport upon […]

(RSF/IFEX) – In a letter to Interior Minister Michel El-Murr, RSF protested the seizure of the 29 June 2000 issue of the French news weekly “L’Express”. RSF Secretary-General Robert Ménard asked the minister “to do everything in his power to enable foreign newspapers to be sold freely in the country.” The organisation also pointed out […]

(RSF/IFEX) – In a letter to Interior Minister Michel El-Murr, RSF expressed its surprise that “the dailies ‘Libération’, ‘Le Monde’ and ‘The International Herald Tribune’ were missing from Lebanese kiosks following the death of Syrian President Hafez el-Assad”. RSF Secretary-General Robert Ménard asked the minister “to do everything possible to ensure that foreign newspapers can […]

(HRW/IFEX) – The following is a 27 April 2000 Human Rights Watch press release: Free Speech Punished in Lebanon (New York, April 27, 2000) — Human Rights Watch today criticized the Lebanese government for suppressing peaceful anti-Syria protests in recent days. The largely student-led protests have called for the withdrawal of Syrian military and security […]

(RSF/IFEX) – In a letter to Minister of the Interior Michel El-Murr, RSF protested “the attack on several journalists, including Ramzi Haïdar, a photographer with Agence France-Presse, and Hassan Mounla, a photographer with Associated Press, during a demonstration in Beirut on 17 March”. RSF asked the minister of the interior to “do everything he can […]