Interviewed by Joyce houeiss for JNews Lebanon
In light of the widespread debate and controversy surrounding the passage of Lebanon’s new Media Law, Member of Parliament Melhem Khalaf confirmed in an exclusive statement to Jnews Lebanon that passing the legislation was an urgent necessity at this stage. Khalaf noted that delaying its approval would have frozen the bill for years to come, stating: “It had to pass now; otherwise, it wouldn’t have seen the light of day for another ten years.”
MP Khalaf addressed concerns regarding restrictions on press freedom and criticisms surrounding the regulation of journalists, describing them as greatly exaggerated. He emphasized that the newly enacted articles were primarily designed to safeguard the legal rights of journalists and protect the media sector as a whole.
Clarifying the contentious clause regarding imprisonment, Khalaf assured that custodial sentences will not be used to curb free expression. Instead, imprisonment is strictly limited to instances involving the deliberate publication of disinformation and false news. He stressed that a clear line must be drawn between practicing professional, free journalism and engaging in intentional acts to deceive public opinion.
