The Lebanese Press Editors Syndicate stated that "journalists and media professionals, regardless of their affiliations or the regions they report from, have the right to practice their work freely and without harassment, in accordance with the Lebanese constitution which guarantees freedom of opinion, belief, publication, and movement as long as it does not violate the laws. Colleague Asaad Bashara was subjected to harassment by a number of individuals while he was recording an interview, who asked him to leave the area, which is neither a government nor a secure facility that prohibits his presence without permission."
The statement added: "This unjustified provocation, which occurs from time to time, is rejected and condemned. The Lebanese Press Editors Syndicate presents this incident to the Lebanese judiciary and security agencies to investigate these individuals, verify their identities, and hold them accountable according to the applicable laws."
The syndicate continued: "The syndicate reaffirms its refusal to restrict the movement of journalists and media professionals throughout Lebanese territory, as this contradicts the freedom that all parties claim to respect, and does not improperly insult the concept of freedom through practices that contradict their claims. While the Lebanese Press Editors Syndicate reiterates its condemnation of what occurred to its member colleague Asaad Bashara, it sends a clear message to everyone that journalists and media professionals are a red line for it, and that there are other ways to address them, different from the methods used against colleague Bashara and others by anyone, and that this cannot stop until everyone is convinced that journalists and media professionals are not punching bags."
