The head of the Parliamentary Media and Communications Committee, MP Hussein al-Haj Hassan, affirmed that media freedom is guaranteed by the Lebanese Constitution and is not open for discussion.
The National News Agency reported Haj Hassan's clarification in a radio interview that the committee discussed media content in various media outlets, addressing during the meeting provisions related to certain media violations. These provisions were divided into three categories: content that incites strife or sectarian provocation, content that includes insults or slander against individuals or entities, and content that contains political criminal accusations without evidence or an official investigation. MP Hassan noted that these three provisions are not part of media freedom either legally or in terms of a code of conduct among media outlets, emphasizing that media freedom is guaranteed by the Lebanese Constitution and is not open for discussion.
Regarding the formation of the government, MP al-Haj Hassan emphasized that the interests of the Lebanese necessitate expediting the formation despite the challenges that need to be overcome given the pressing security, economic, monetary, financial, and social realities facing the Lebanese. He pointed out that the poor performance of the state and economic and monetary policies over the past decades, which led to the current crisis, along with the greed of some and political developments, have all contributed to the rise in the exchange rate of the dollar in the local market. Concerning the security situation in the Bekaa, the MP noted that security agencies have intensified their efforts and that the security situation has begun to improve.
