Lebanon: ANHRI Condemns Constant Target of Journalists and Media Professionals

Author: Staff
Date Published: 12/04/2013

The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI) today expressed its deep concern over repeated attacks on journalists and media professionals during their work.

Lebanon media outlets have currently faced many abuses by citizens, while media professionals are doing reports about the most significant issues in Lebanon that sparked controversy among people.

Crew of “LBCI” on Saturday, November 30, was attacked by supporters of Archimandrite “Panteleimon Farah” inside the Orthodox Patriarchate in Kousba. The crew was covering a march organized to show solidarity with the Archimandrite following the meeting between the Patriarch and Minister of Defense around the possibility of dismissing “Farah” in light of sexual harassment of minors case.

“LBCI” crew was attacked inside the Orthodox Patriarchate in Kousba by supporters of Father “ “Panteleimon Farah”, despite the fact that the crew had a permit to cover the march. Lebanese army forces have stopped the supporters and protected the crew.

On the other hand, “Al Jadeed (New TV)” crew on Friday, November 22, faced harassments by young people in Sidon city. Moreover, they were attacked by unknown persons while they were doing a report. They were in front of a house of one of those who are accused of carrying out a suicide bombing that targeted Iran embassy in Beirut. The harassments started when a family of the accused has refused to talk to the channel, then the crew filmed the house to send a message about the defendant and the place where he lives. During that, some young people have begun to harass the crew.

ANHRI said, “The ongoing attacks on journalists and media professionals during their work threaten press and media freedoms in Lebanon, which have started recently to witness remarkable setback, as the attacks on them became frequent by citizens as well as security bodies.”

ANHRI calls on Lebanese authorities to provide the protection essential to journalists and media professionals while they are doing their job, and to suspend the attacks on them.

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