Lebanese journalist Radwan Mortada sentenced to 13 months in prison
New York, November 29, 2021 – Lebanese authorities should drop their prosecution of journalist Radwan Mortada and refrain from imprisoning members of the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On November 26, the Permanent Military Court in Beirut sentenced Mortada, a reporter for the local daily Al-Akhbar and the news website The Cradle, to…
Supporters of Lebanese president storm Al-Sharq office in Beirut
New York, October 13, 2021 — Lebanese authorities must identify the people who stormed the Beirut office of daily newspaper and news website Al-Sharq and hold them to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Yesterday, at least a dozen supporters of Lebanese President Michel Aoun stormed inside the Al-Sharq office and hung pictures…
Lebanese news website The961 briefly blocked amid currency exchange crackdown
On March 10, 2021, the Lebanese state-run internet service provider Ogero blocked the entire English-language news website The961 for nine hours without warning during a government crackdown on black market money changers, according to the site’s director, who communicated with CPJ by email, and the regional press freedom organization SKeyes Center for Media and Cultural…
Lebanese columnist, Hezbollah critic Lokman Slim shot and killed
New York, February 4, 2021 – Lebanese authorities must conduct a thorough investigation into the killing of political commentator Lokman Slim, determine if he was targeted for his journalism, and hold those responsible to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Yesterday evening, at about 8:30 p.m., Slim went missing after leaving the home…
Lebanese security forces assault reporter Ibrahim Fatfat amid protests in Tripoli
New York, January 27, 2021 — Lebanese authorities must conduct a thorough and independent investigation into the recent attack on journalist Ibrahim Fatfat, and ensure that those responsible are held to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On January 25, a group of riot police officers with Lebanon’s Internal Security Forces assaulted Fatfat,…
Ten years after the Arab Spring, the region’s media faces grave threats. Here are the top press freedom trends
In early February 2011, Alaa Abdelfattah was in Egypt’s Tahrir Square, documenting and participating in the nascent pro-democracy uprising that would topple the government and transform the country and the region. Today, he is in prison on anti-state and false news charges, which his family believes are partly retaliatory for his work. Abdelfattah is one of…
Lebanese journalist Radwan Mortada questioned over port explosion criticism
In the morning of January 15, 2021, Lebanese intelligence officers arrived at the Beirut home of Radwan Mortada, a reporter for the local daily Al-Akhbar, and ordered him to go to the Intelligence Directorate’s Investigation Branch immediately for questioning, he said in an interview with local broadcaster Al-Jadeed TV later that day. The officers claimed…
Supporters of Lebanese president attack Al-Jadeed TV office in Beirut
New York, December 16, 2020 — Lebanese authorities should do their utmost to identify and hold to account those responsible for the attack on the Beirut office of independent broadcaster Al-Jadeed TV, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Yesterday evening, a group of about 10 people wearing masks gathered at Al-Jadeed TV’s Beirut office…
Security forces and demonstrators injure journalists covering protests over Beirut port explosion
New York, August 11, 2020 — Lebanese authorities should immediately investigate recent attacks on journalists by demonstrators and security forces, hold those responsible to account, and ensure that journalists can cover protests safely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On August 4, an explosion of stored chemicals in Beirut’s port resulted in more than…