The International Press Institute (IPI), the global network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in over 120 countries, strongly condemns the recent wave of attacks on the Lebanese media, and calls on all involved parties to refrain from any further attacks.

According to information before IPI, the recent eruption of full-fledged armed clashes between pro-government and opposition militiamen in Lebanon have included several attacks on both journalists and media outlet offices.

During the early morning of 9 May, mortar rockets were fired at the headquarters of the pro-government Future Media Group, which houses Future TV, the Future News channel, and Radio Orient. Soon thereafter, gunmen loyal to the main opposition group, Hezbollah, surrounded the building and threatened to open fire if employees did not immediately stop broadcasting.

On the same day, Hezbollah gunmen set fire to the offices of the Al-Mustaqbal daily in Beirut’s Ramlet al-Bayda district. Al-Mustaqbal also belongs to the Future Media Group, owned by the parliamentarian Saad Hariri, son of slain Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri. The Future Media Group TV and radio stations have yet to resume broadcasting, and the daily Al-Mustaqbal has also not yet resumed publishing.

Wadi Shlink and Asad Ahmed, photographers working for newspaper Sada al Balad, and photographer Mahmmoud Al-Tawil were also reported to have been injured in attacks while covering clashes. In addition, Sada al Balad reporters Diana Skeni and Ali Halawa were injured in other attacks.

Moreover, in a separate incident on 12 May, two Al-Jazeera cameramen, Ayman Al-Mawla and Mahir Al-Murr, were injured while filming clashes close to the Al-Jazeera offices in the Clementau district of Beirut.

IPI Director David Dadge commented, “It is vital that the media is able to ensure that the public remains informed of ongoing events, particularly in times of political upheaval. IPI condemns the recent attacks in the strongest possible terms, and calls on all parties involved to refrain from targeting the media.”