Illustration photo from OLJ archive
In response to the recent organized and systematic campaign against public freedoms, we — journalists, media workers and media organizations — find it important to emphasize the following:
First: We reject the discourse of homophobia, as well as the inciteful and discriminatory rhetoric against minorities. These speeches, propagated by extremist groups and certain sectarian political, religious, and security figures, violate the principles of coexistence as they threaten individuals basis on their personal identities. This divisive, intimidating, and displacing discourse undermines the legitimacy of any authority that engages in it, as stated in paragraph J of the constitution’s preamble.
Second: we see that this inciting campaign targets not only a specific group of society but also the entirety of it, its human values, and its rights-based foundations that Lebanon has stood for as a haven for the oppressed and a cradle of freedoms. Our concerns in this regard are compounded by the coupling of this discourse with a clear threat to freedom of belief, by subjecting personal freedoms to religious beliefs. Additionally, it is coupled with vilifying and stigmatizing anyone who calls for respecting the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals or decriminalizing their existence. This constitutes an unacceptable restriction on freedom of discussion and expression on public issues. This is evident in the proposed law by the Minister of Culture, Mohammad Mortada, which aims to criminalize the explicit and implicit promotion of homosexuality and consensual sexual acts with a prison sentence of up to three years, treating even the mere acceptance of homosexuality as promotion. This demonization of freedoms, in their various forms, under the guise of combating homosexuality, will inevitably impact all public freedoms.
Third: we urge our colleagues in all media institutions to reject any alignment with this discourse and to maintain a respectful tone by refraining from using demeaning or undignified language, as well as language laden with moral judgments, especially the term ‘sexual deviance.’ It is noteworthy that the World Health Organization removed homosexuality from the list of mental disorders in 1990. We also call on them to take full responsibility in confronting this authoritarian inciteful discourse rooted in hatred and intolerance, and instead promote a discourse that reinstates values of tolerance, mutual respect, and human rights.
Fourth: These campaigns will not divert our attention from the battle against the corruption of the ruling authority, nor from pursuing those responsible for the impunity system, whether in financial crimes or the crimes of August 4 and subsequent daily injustices against the Lebanese people and the residents of this country. We affirm that the inciteful campaigns targeting us as media professionals advocating for human rights will not intimidate us or deter us from holding onto our stances. The era of taboos has ended, along with the era of reliance on intimidation.
Finally, we won’t be silent in the battle for freedom.
Signatories:
Alternative Press Syndicate
LBCI
MTV
Al-Jadeed
Voice of Lebanon
Annahar
Nidaa AlWatan
Almodon
L’Orient-Le Jour / L’Orient Today
Legal Agenda
Daraj
Raseef22
Sifr
Naqed
Lebanon and the World
Sharika wa Laken
Polyblog
Khatira
