Protesters gathered in front of the Lebanese Cybercrime Bureau on Thursday morning to support Lara Bitar, editor-in-chief of “The Public Source,” who is facing a defamation lawsuit. Bitar was sued by the Lebanese Forces, the largest Maronite political party in the Lebanese parliament, following an article that accused the party of facilitating the import of toxic waste into the country. Bitar refused to attend the court hearing, insisting that journalists should only be investigated by specialized courts under the country’s publications law.
Jean Kassir, editor-in-chief of Megaphone, an independent media outlet, also faced defamation charges earlier in the week. Lebanon’s top public prosecutor, Ghassan Oueidat, filed the charges after Megaphone alleged that Oueidat was wanted in connection with the Beirut Port explosion. However, the charges were later withdrawn after Kassir’s lawyer argued that journalists cannot be investigated by security agencies in connection with their work.
Human rights groups have argued that such defamation cases against journalists in Lebanon have negatively impacted freedom of expression in the country. The Coalition to Defend Freedom of Expression in Lebanon expressed concern and alarm over the situation, noting that criminal defamation charges could lead to self-censorship.