BEIRUT, LEBANON - NOVEMBER 3: A man takes a video on his mobile phone as thousands of Lebanese protesters rally against sectarian government and call for the removal of the country's entire political class, beneath a sign of a large fist and the Arabic word for "Revolution" (Thawra) in Martyrs' Square, on November 3, 2019, in Beirut, Lebanon. Triggered by a tax on free social media call services on Oct. 17, Lebanese from across the country and from all of the nation's 18 recognized religious sects rose up and filled the streets in anger, chanting against corruption, poor services, and high unemployment, which prompted the resignation of Prime Minister Saad Hariri on Oct. 29. (Photo by Scott Peterson/Getty Images)
Joint statement
Press freedom organisations condemn attacks on journalists in Lebanon
Perpetrators of violations must be held accountable
Since January 14, Lebanon witnessed a worrying wave of attacks against journalists, photographers covering protests in Beirut. Violence reached its peak in front of a police barrack in the Mar Elias neighborhood the night of January 15, 2020 when security officers and the riot police used excessive force to disperse protesters. Several journalists and photographers who were covering the stand-off were beaten, had their media equipment broken, and some were detained.The SKeyes Center for Media and Cultural Freedom identified more than 20 violations against media professionals since January 14, which raises the total number of violations to 75 since the beginning of the popular uprising on October 17, 2019.
The signatory press freedom and media development organisations strongly condemn these blatant attacks on freedom of information and violations of basic journalists’ rights. The organisations are gravely concerned that most of these violations were perpetrated by security forces whose primary duty is to protect citizens and provide journalists with the safest possible environment to fulfill their mission.Following the clashes, caretaker Interior Minister Raya El Hassan spoke to the press and denied having issued orders to security forces to use force against peaceful protesters and journalists, saying she did not know who gave the instructions.
This denial reinforces our concern related to the absence of accountability in a country where impunity for perpetrators of all types of crimes against journalists has been the norm, including when journalists were assassinated.
The signatory organisations call on the Lebanese authorities to conduct swift and transparent investigation into the parties that were responsible for the violent repression against journalists, followed by fair and independent judiciary action against perpetrators.
CFI – French Media Development Agency
Committee to Protect Journalists
Free Press Unlimited
International Media Support
Media in Cooperation and Transition
International SKeyes Center for Media and Cultural Freedom
