RSF meets with Lebanese government to seek justice for killed journalists and ensure implementation of new media law

Nearly three years have passed since the killing of Reuters journalist Issam Abdallah by Israeli forces on 13 October 2023 in Alma el-Chaab, in southern Lebanon. Despite the abundance of evidence pointing to a war crime, justice has yet to be served - either for the journalist and his family, or for the seven other colleagues who have also been targeted and killed by Israel since then.

The case was among the top priorities raised by a RSF delegation led by Jonathan Dagher, head of the organisation's Middle East bureau, and Elissar Kobeissi, RSF's correspondent in Lebanon. In August, they met with Lebanese authorities, including Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri, Justice Minister Adel Nassar, and Information Minister Paul Morcos.

Lebanon's media legislation was also on the agenda. RSF presented the concerns of journalists and the wider media sector regarding the new law on media and freedom of expression, adopted in August. The law represents a significant step forward after 16 years of debate, replacing legislation dating back to 1962.

Between 23 and 26 August, RSF also met with independent journalists, representatives of the Union of Journalists in Lebanon (UJL), and media executives in the country.

Alongside the official meetings, RSF also organised a public event through its Press Freedom Centre, which opened in 2024. Bringing together members of the media profession, the event was held at the Smallville Hotel in Beirut in partnership with the Samir Kassir Foundation (SKF). This Lebanese non-governmental organisation, which advocates for freedom of expression and information, is named after Samir Kassir, an independent Franco-Lebanese journalist who was assassinated in Lebanon on 2 June 2005, reportedly by Syrian forces and Hezbollah.

The conference opened with a presentation of the RSF centre's activities by its coordinator, Iman Abed, followed by two roundtable discussions moderated by Widad Jarbouh, a journalist and senior researcher at the Samir Kassir Foundation, and Elissar Kobeissi, RSF's correspondent in Lebanon. Participants included Diana Moukalled, founder and director of the independent news website Daraj Media; Mohammad Chebaro, a former war correspondent for the pan-Arab media outlet Al Araby Al Jadeed; lawyer Farouk Moughrabi; Jad Chahrour, communications officer at the Samir Kassir Foundation; and Bilal Yassine, a researcher at the Maharat Foundation, another RSF partner. The discussions focused on the judicial mechanisms available in Lebanon, shortcomings in the new media and freedom of expression law, and the judicial and online harassment faced by journalists.

Working as a journalist in the context of war in Lebanon

Since the start of Israel's offensive against Hezbollah and the war in Lebanon in October 2023, media professionals have risked their lives on the ground, particularly in the south of the country. Lebanon has consequently become one of the deadliest countries for journalists, with at least eight reporters targeted and killed over the past three years, according to RSF data.

Lebanon ranks 115th out of 180 countries and territories in the 2026 World Press Freedom Index, published by RSF.