Lebanon: Discussions on the independence of the National Authority and the protection of journalists
Bilal Samir 🇪🇬
The names of the members of the indictment committee that will look into the casino case, which has become a public issue, are currently being discussed at the Baabda Palace of Justice.
What is strange and dangerous is that two members of the second panel have resigned, and Judge El Khazen is working to replace them with two of her own members, instead of the two replacements being from the third indictment panel.
This means that the case will remain under her supervision, along with two of her colleagues, even if it is transferred to the second indictment chamber.
Judge Al-Khazen's efforts to seize control of the case for known reasons are now being made, which restricts justice from any impartiality!!
All that is required is a free and independent indictment body, after it was proven that Judge El Khazen's handling of the case was suspicious and controversial, especially after the case of the expert whose report was tailored to the wishes of El Khazen and those behind her.
A serious question for the Minister of Justice, the President of the Supreme Judicial Council, and the Public Prosecutor: Remove the treasurer from the case in order to achieve justice and fairness.
The Administration and Justice Committee also discussed the proposed new media law. Marqus read from the text he adopted: We are moving toward a liberal law that protects media professionals and prevents pretrial detention.
The Parliamentary Administration and Justice Committee held a session this morning in Parliament, chaired by MP George Adwan, and attended by Minister of Information Dr. Paul Morcos and other MPs. Discussion focused on the proposed new media law, with emphasis on the need to complete its study as soon as possible and submit it to the General Assembly for approval.
Adwan emphasized that all members of the committee and subcommittee agree that the law must enshrine complete independence and freedom of expression for media professionals, emphasizing that any positions questioning the committee's work are not based on facts. He said, "Our goal is to protect the media and media professionals, and if that is not the goal, then there is no point in issuing a new law. We are in a hurry to complete it, and in the next session we will discuss the progress made in the proposal."
Adwan pointed out that the Minister of Information did not submit any proposal to amend the law, but rather participated with a spirit of support for media freedom, the independence of the National Authority for the Protection of Journalists.
For his part, Minister Marcos said: “I thank the committee chairman and members for the rich discussion, which expresses the shared desire to enhance the independence of the National Media Authority, protect freedom of expression and media professionals, and remove any legal prosecutions against them.”
He said: "His position is identical to the committee's position," noting that he has no comments on the proposed media law in its current form.
He added: “Today, I reiterated in the minutes that I always adhere to what I previously stated, whether in the subcommittee or in the parent committee, that we are discussing the text amended by the subcommittee emanating from the Administration and Justice Committee, and this is the approved text and there is no need for further clarification.”
Marqus expressed his appreciation for the rich discussions and the desire of his fellow representatives to conclude this text in a way that preserves the basic principles, foremost among which is the protection of freedom of the media and media professionals.
In response to a question, Minister Marcos said: "I fully understand the concerns of everyone who is concerned about freedom of opinion and expression, and this is a shared concern. However, I assure everyone that we are moving in a liberal and progressive direction, aiming to protect media professionals and freedom of opinion and the press, especially since the current text explicitly states that pretrial detention of media professionals is not permissible."
He added: "Any concerned party could have contacted me or requested a meeting to discuss these concerns, and I am always open to any dialogue or explanation in this regard."
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