Nidal

La position du ministre de l’information est dénoncée par Al Akhbar, mais présentée comme un soutien aux deux médias par Naharnet (j’ignore si c’est une différence totale de lecture, ou un problème de décalage horaire) :
▻http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/128316-information-minister-voices-solidarity-with-lebanese-journalists-su

Information Minister Ramzi Jreij considered on Monday that the media can criticize the Special Tribunal for Lebanon if there is a need, slamming the summons by the international court of al-Jadeed TV and al-Akhbar newspaper’s journalists on charges of “contempt and obstruction of justice.”

“The reports published by the two media outlets are responsible and just criticism,” Jreij said in comments published in As Safir newspaper.

He stressed that “investigations with al-Jadeed and al-Akhbar will prove their innocence.”

The STL announced on Thursday that it has summoned Karma Mohammed Tahsin al-Khayat from al-Jadeed, as well as the station’s parent company New TV S.A.L., and Ibrahim Mohammed al-Amin from al-Akhbar, as well as the newspaper’s parent company Akhbar Beirut S.A.L. to appear before it on two counts of Contempt and Obstruction of Justice.

“The important thing is that the two media outlets defend themselves properly by adopting all the legal means as per the tribunal’s mechanism,” the minister noted.

He warned the two journalists of failing to appear before the STL’s hearing, saying: “This move will lead to repercussions including the issuance of arrest warrants.”

Jreij said that he is a “staunch advocate of media freedom,” however he noted that the “STL is a legal body and its decisions are binding for Lebanon.”

A meeting was held on Monday at noon in solidarity with the two journalists at the Press Syndicate to defend the “mere truth.”

Aujourd’hui, l’explication de Pierre Abi Saab :
►http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/together-sake-freedom

The gist of the message, which addressed the journalists gathered yesterday at the Press Syndicate in defense of national sovereignty and public freedoms in Lebanon and against the bulldozer of international repression and intimidation of the media, was “I am with freedoms, but... not this time!” The statement was interrupted by the boos of the audience, dealing a moral blow to the minister that Lebanon will remember for a long time.

After a nice little introduction that emphasized his good intentions regarding freedoms, our minister advised the two journalists charged by the international court with contempt and obstruction of justice, Ibrahim al-Amin and Karma Khayat, to comply with the international tribunal “because it is the only way to prove their innocence.” How is that possible when he insists that they are not facing accusations? In other words, the minister told the journalists gathered at the syndicate, there is no need for you to be present here, go back to your homes, the Lebanese state has no sovereignty and no say in the presence of the international tribunal. This, however, is inaccurate considering Rule 178 of the Rules of Procedure and Evidence of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL).

Lebanese legislatures offer support to Al-Akhbar, Al-Jadeed ►http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/lebanese-legislatures-offer-support-al-akhbar-al-jadeed

Separately, former Lebanese prime minister Najib Mikati called on the STL to “to focus on their work in uncovering the truth” over who killed Hariri, and not to concern itself with side issues in Twitter remarks Wednesday.