The Lebanese Communist Party has expressed its preemptive rejection of the stance contained in the statement issued "upon request" by those gathered at the Editors' Syndicate calling for the approval of a new media law that was neither presented nor discussed in the meeting.
The National News Agency reported moments ago on a statement from the media office of the Lebanese Communist Party, rejecting the preemptive stance contained in the statement issued "upon request" by those at the Editors' Syndicate who called for the approval of a new media law that was not presented or discussed in the meeting. The statement clarified that, based on an invitation from the Editors' Syndicate, the Lebanese Communist Party attended the meeting held earlier today at the Editors' Syndicate to discuss a new media law being reviewed in parliamentary committees.
The party's statement continued that, due to the failure to distribute the mentioned draft law to attendees, and the public support expressed by party media offices for the draft law even without reviewing or discussing it in the meeting, as well as the increasing trend of the ruling system to undermine public and specifically media freedoms, it is important to express the stance of the Communist Party recorded in the meeting and in the media, which is its preemptive rejection of the stance contained in the statement issued "upon request" by the attendees, calling for the approval of a draft law that was neither presented nor discussed in the meeting.
The Communist Party considered what happened as a reflection of the political bankruptcy of the ruling system, indicating that it can no longer offer the Lebanese anything but more projects aiming at oppression, intimidation, and coercion to evade accountability, just as it has evaded accountability in the judicial investigation into the port explosion case, including the appointment and dismissal of Judge Fadi Sawwan and all attempts to buy time to conceal the truth, particularly regarding the criminal investigation into the embezzlement and laundering of public funds, among other crimes.
The Communist Party noted the existence of a broad political consensus among the ruling parties, in various formations, to approve this repressive law. It reiterated its absolute rejection of passing a new media law that undermines public freedoms, silences voices, and prevents activists and journalists from expressing their opinions, whether on social media or in various media outlets.
On another note, the statement from the Lebanese Communist Party emphasized the application of existing laws to prevent incitement to sectarian strife and sectarian hatred, calling on all principled individuals to prepare for this battle, asserting that such an approach to suppress public and media freedoms will only increase the Lebanese people's commitment to this issue and their defense of it.
