Ya Libnan

Al-Akhbar editor accused of attacking president’s dignity

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Ibrahim al-AminLebanon’s Information Minister Ramzi Jreij said that the article critical of President Michel Suleiman written by Al-Akhbar editor-in-chief Ibrahim al-Amin represents contempt against the presidency.

“The article does not contain political criticism, but rather an attack on the president’s dignity,” Jreij told LBC on Tuesday about the pro-Hezbollah and Syrian regime daily .

On Monday, Justice Minister Ashraf Rifi took action against Amin for writing a column that criticized President Michel Suleiman earlier that day.

The justice minister—who is a leading critic of the Shiite party—referred the article, entitled “Lebanon without a president,” to the Appellate Prosecution to take the necessary measures against its writer, who is accused of libel, and the daily which published it.

A day later, Hezbollah condemned the Lebanese state for allowing judicial action against Amin.

Hezbollah condemns action against its ally

As was widely expected the iranian backed Hezbollah militant group condemned the Lebanese state Tuesday for allowing judicial action against its ally the Al-Akhbar editor-in-chief

“The formal powers in Lebanon act, from time to time, in a deceitful, arbitrary and oppressive manner that contradicts the simplest civil rights to criticism, and freedom of opinion and expression,” the party’s media relations department said in a statement on Tuesday .

“The referral of Ibrahim al-Amin’s article to the Appellate Prosecution gives a clear picture of the poor performance of officials, and their vexation and disrespect of civil liberties.”The statement added

The statement also condemned “strongly, this hasty procedure”, called for the action to be cancelled and expressed the party’s “solidarity … with Ibrahim al-Amin in his right to express his opinion.”

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Comments

  1. Super_habib Avatar
    Super_habib

    Jeez, what a country! The president thinks he’s infallible and the Iranian militia is defending someone’s rights. Both groups may be doing so only for their own interests but strange stuff nonetheless.

    1. 5thDrawer Avatar
      5thDrawer

      More like everyone ‘resists’ everyone’s rights. ;-)))

      1. Super_habib Avatar
        Super_habib

        Haha! And you wonder how they get so much done.

  2. nagy_michael2 Avatar
    nagy_michael2

    Of Course if his master Nassrallah was attacked politically the thugs of M8 will roam Beirut with their guns and trying to intimidate the populations. Let alone steel tires so they can burn them in defiance. You can never reason with these thugs. In my opinion its time for the lebanese state to take over Dahia and the South by Force. Take over the palestinians camps and destroy anything that breathes Al Nusra. Yes it will be hard but LAF can do it. If Hezbollah is having 2 to 3 years to fight fledgling FSA and AL Nusra. there is no way they can beat the army. with them surrounded the rockets will fall back on them. its time for Lebanon to get rid of these disease called Hezbollah. Uft enough of these arrogant bastards..

  3. 5thDrawer Avatar
    5thDrawer

    Another case of pots calling kettles ‘Black’.

  4. Prophettttt Avatar
    Prophettttt

    There was no dignity to attack,so charges are to be dropped.He is not even a constitutional president.Yalee istahoo Matou.

  5. ghassan Karam Avatar
    ghassan Karam

    I do not often see eye to eye with Mr Al Amin but the issue infront of us is not whether we share the same views or not. Each of us is free to subscribe to a different philosophy and a different set of beliefs. What is important though, actually it is crucial, is to rally in support of liberty and personal freedom. Personal freedom would be hollow if it did not include the freedom of thought and expression. This issue must not be judged on the grounds of political loyalties but on a much grander scale, that of the right to dissent.

    Whether Mr. Al Amin likes the President or not is not the case either, the only case is whether a journalist has the right to make a case in which he asks an elected official to resign. On these grounds this becomes a simple open and shut case. Mr. AlAmin has the right to critique the President and to ask for his removal. No other right is as basic as this.

    It might be also the time to remove all such laws that allow presidents and elected officials to censor the right of citizens to speak their mind. If I wish to have the right to speak freely against anyone and on any topic , and I do, then there is no way that I am going to deny this right to Mr. Al Amin simply because I might disagree with his political views.

    1. Prophettttt Avatar
      Prophettttt

      Ghasan,I remember you questioning the constitutionality of his presidency,So I suggest you be careful now,lol

      1. ghassan Karam Avatar
        ghassan Karam

        Prophetttt
        You remember correctly. I almost always refer to President Suleiman as the unconstitutionally elected President. He will never be able to get rid of this description. It will be attached to his name forever no matter what he does. That is a fact.

  6. Maborlz Ez-Hari Avatar
    Maborlz Ez-Hari

    Big whooping deal if it’s the president, or primeminister, or the speaker, or that fat bastard hassan, or the shining craniums of aoun and geagea who is being disrespected, what right does the government have in silencing the people’s. Get off your arses and get a move on you lazy, spoilt, useless politicians. Remember this you guys are public servants as in you serve the public, you get paid to do it, it’s not volunteering so roll up your sleeves and get your priorities right. If the public wants to criticize and complain they can because they pay your way. Way too many chiefs in such a small country.

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