Introduction
On 8th February 2025, the new government of Lebanon was formed, with former ICJ president Nawaf Salam taking over as the country’s new Prime Minister. While the new leadership is considered as “momentum for political stability, economic recovery, and long-overdue implementation of critical reforms to address the multiple socio-economic crises and gaping inequalities facing Lebanon”, civil society groups have also been advocating for the prioritisation of human rights protection and promotion in the country.
In their advocacy letter, Human Rights Watch (HRW) called on the new leadership to take action to ensure accountability for war crimes, the 2020 Beirut blast, and the economic crisis; establishing an independent judiciary; protecting free expression and women's rights; and safeguarding the rights of marginalised groups like migrants, refugees, and detainees.
Expression
On 6th January 2025, Skeyesmedia reported the deliberate targeting of civilians and media crews by Israeli forces, which has brought journalists’ safety under severe threat. The report indicates that at least 13 journalists and photographers have been killed by Israeli forces in Lebanon to since October 2023 to date.
These violations continued during the reporting period:
* Skyesmedia documented violations by the Israeli army against journalists covering the return of residents to their villages in South Lebanon. Israeli forces fired live ammunition at the LBCI crew, the NBN crew, the Russia Today crew along with transmission engineer Hussein Khalil who was injured by shrapnel (01/26), and freelance photographer Hassan Fneish who was injured in the foot (01/27).
Our colleague, Jean Kassir, was summoned by the Cybercrime Bureau this Thursday at 10:00 am in relation to a defamation lawsuit filed against Megaphone by MP #FouadMakhzoumi.
— Megaphone News English (@MegaphoneNewsEN) January 20, 2025
The suit follows a report published by Megaphone last Friday, tackling the appointment of Judge… pic.twitter.com/k0ShTnYSd2
On 20th January 2025, the Cybercrimes and Intellectual Property Bureau summoned journalist Jean Kassir, co-founder of the "Megaphone" platform. This summons followed a defamation complaint filed by MP Fouad Makhzoumi in connection with a report regarding the appointment of Judge Nawaf Salam as Prime Minister. The report included Makhzoumi’s name, accompanied by the phrase “arms dealer.”
On 11th February 2025, the Bureau for Combating Cybercrimes and Protecting Intellectual Property summoned Hazem Al-Amin, co-founder and editor-in-chief of the "Daraj" website, and journalist Jana Barakat, following a complaint filed by banker Antoine Sehnaoui, in relation to a 2023 report which implicated him in financial transactions that were made at the beginning of the economic and financial crisis in 2019.