Journalist Daoud Rammal. (Screenshot)
BEIRUT — An attack on journalist Daoud Rammal, a correspondent for Sky News Arabia, on Saturday in southern Lebanon prompted widespread condemnation.
Rammal was attacked in Doueir (Nabatieh) while he was visiting his mother's grave, according to the channel where he works, which attributed the act to Hezbollah. The channel named a Hezbollah member, Hussein Sabbagh, as being involved.
However, in a statement released Sunday, Hezbollah denied responsibility for the attack, calling it an individual incident that had nothing to do with the party. "Freedom of expression is sacred as long as it does not violate social values and existing laws," the party's media office said.
The journalist confirmed Sky News' version of the incident in a televised intervention, saying that while he was visiting his mother's grave, Hezbollah members hit him in the head, causing him to faint for a few moments. He added that after regaining consciousness, he went to his family's house where the attackers followed him and attacked him again in front of his 15-year-old son. Rammal described what happened as an "attempted murder and said that the attackers accused him of spying for Israel and foreign embassies. Finally, he announced that he would take the case to court on Monday.
Series of condemnations
The Syndicate of Lebanese Press Editors condemned the attack on Saturday, describing it as an "unacceptable behavior." The syndicate also put the incident within the hands of the judiciary to "prosecute the aggressors.”
An NGO, called "Journalists for freedom," also reacted on the attack, saying in a statement relayed by the state-run National News Agency (NNA): "We express our strong condemnation of the attack on Rammal while he was praying in the south for his mother's soul, an attack that constitutes a blatant violation of human rights and freedom of expression guaranteed by the constitution and laws.”
The NGO called on the competent authorities to “open an urgent and transparent investigation to uncover the circumstances of this attack."
Moreover, the Independents Journalists Association condemned the attack and called on “the security authorities to pursue the attackers and bring them to justice." The association emphasized that "freedom of opinion, along with freedom of the media and journalists, is a red line that cannot be crossed for any reason whatsoever or ignored by any judicial or official body.”
In addition, 17 people including MPs and activists, issued a statement, saying that they consider the attack on Rammal a "major development that is no less dangerous than the Israeli attacks on the villages in South Lebanon."
"The political attack on those who disagree with Hezbollah at home is a prelude to attacks on personalities and parties who objected to the inclusion of our people in the south, the Bekaa, the southern Suburbs of Beirut and all of Lebanon in a futile war," the statement read.
Among those who signed the statement are independent MPs Waddah Sadek, Paula Yaacoubian, Ibrahim Mneimneh and Kataeb MP Elias Hankash,
On Sunday, the Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) said in a statement relayed by NNA: “Recently, there have been many attacks on media professionals and journalists because of their positions, whether by physical assault or by campaigns on social media. We denounce and condemn these incidents."
The PSP also called on the security and judicial authorities to pursue the perpetrators, warning that failure to act would leave every opinion holder expressing their opinion vulnerable to attack.
Finally, MP Ashraf Rifi wrote on X: “The attack on journalist Daoud Rammal is a criminal act of intimidation, that demands the punishment of both the aggressors and instigators, who resort to acts of treason by attacking individuals with free opinions."
Caretaker Information Minister Ziad Makari called Ramal on Saturday in solidarity and inquired about the circumstances of the attack he was subjected to, according to NNA.
Makkari confirmed that the Ministry of Information will follow up on the outcome of the complaint that Rimal will file before the competent judiciary against the assailants, and will "pursue the matter with the Public Prosecution until its conclusion."