person:ramzi jreij

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.

Vu et précisé par Reuters:

Lebanon to allow citizens to resist Israel -policy statement | Reuters
▻http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/03/15/uk-lebanon-policy-statement-idUKBREA2E02G20140315

(Reuters) - Lebanon’s new government agreed to a compromise policy statement on Friday that fell short of explicitly enshrining the militant group Hezbollah’s role in confronting Israel but which would give all citizens the right to resist Israeli occupation or attacks.

The agreement on the compromise language came after weeks of dispute brought the government to the verge of collapse, and now paves the way for Prime Minister Tammam Salam to put his government to a vote of confidence.

Information Minister Ramzi Jreij told reporters that most ministers had agreed on a compromise statement that declares Lebanese citizens have the right to “resist Israeli occupation” and repel any Israeli attack.

The deal was reached a few hours after Israel’s army said it fired tank rounds and artillery into southern Lebanon in retaliation for a bomb that targeted its soldiers patrolling the border. No injuries were reported on either side.

The Israel-Lebanon border has been mostly quiet since Israel and Hezbollah fought an inconclusive war in 2006, but Israeli forces still hold at least three pockets of occupied territory which are claimed by Lebanon.

“Based on the state’s responsibility to preserve Lebanon’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity and the security of its citizens, the government affirms the duty of the state and its efforts to liberate the Shebaa Farms and Kfar Shouba Hills and the Lebanese part of Ghajar through all legitimate means,” the government statement said.

It also “affirms the right of Lebanese citizens to resist Israeli occupation and repel aggressions and recover occupied territory”.

Agreement on the declaration paves the way for Salam to put his government to a vote of confidence, almost exactly a year after he was first asked to try to put together a cabinet following the resignation of his predecessor, Najib Mikati.

The declaration reflected a compromise between the Hezbollah-led political coalition, which sought to guarantee Shi’ite Hezbollah’s right to fight Israel and to justify maintaining its huge weapons arsenal, with Sunni-led political opponents who sought to emphasise the role of the state in carrying arms.

(...)

Jreij said some ministers [Rifi et les hommes de Geagea] expressed reservations because the statement failed to spell out Lebanese state control over the military conflict with Israel and because it refers to “resistance”, Hezbollah’s label for its military operations.