Journalist Elsy Moufarrej. (Credit: Moufarrej's profile picture on X)
BEIRUT — Local television channel MTV informed journalist Elsy Moufarrej, who also serves as the coordinator of the Alternative Press Syndicate, of its decision to dismiss her from her job due to her union work, the journalist told L'Orient Today.
MTV’s decision follows a statement issued by the Alternative Press Syndicate (APS) on Dec. 16, 2024, rejecting judicial measures taken in complaints filed by MTV against several journalists and social media activists on charges of incitement.
Three activists, including Sahar Ghaddar, the founder of a communication agency, were arrested last month after complaints lodged by MTV. These women had accused the channel of providing information that could be used by the Israeli military during its war in Lebanon against Hezbollah between October 2023 and November 2024.
The syndicate’s Dec. 16 statement emphasized that journalists can only be summoned for investigation by an investigative judge, not by judicial police, and argued that the arrests of activists violated principles of freedom of expression.
MTV gave Moufarrej two options to retain her position: the syndicate’s retraction of the statement or her resignation from the syndicate. The journalist refused both options and has since filed a wrongful dismissal lawsuit against the channel.
Moufarrej told L’Orient Today that, “According to labor law and international agreements to which Lebanon is a signatory, it is not permissible for an entity to force a person to choose between their job and their union affiliation.”
Addressing MTV, the journalist referenced a quote displaced at the entrance to the studio of the "Sar el Waet" program, which reads: "I may not agree with your opinion, but I will fight for your right to express it."
"There is an obvious double standard, we say one thing and do another," Moufarrej said. She concluded by addressing her fellow journalists, emphasizing the importance of not fearing union work, as "unions exist to protect journalists' rights."
In a report aired Saturday evening, MTV addressed the accusations against the channel, alleging that Moufarrej had issued "death threats" against it. "MTV resorted to legal action solely to report the death threats, not to suppress anyone's freedom of expression," said Marc Habka, the channel's lawyer, during the broadcast.
Condemnations
APS expressed its full solidarity with its coordinator, Moufarrej, in a statement published on Friday. The syndicate affirmed its support for her in any legal action she pursues.
"[We] will not hesitate to stand against such an arbitrary measure that aims to make journalists choose between their union activity and their continued employment, in a clear violation of the law, which involves an infringement of the right to join a union and a restriction on freedom of expression," the statement read.
The syndicate also pledged to support and protect Moufarrej "in the face of this unfair targeting after she dedicated herself to the causes of journalists."
Meanwhile, Beirut-based nonprofit research and advocacy organization Legal Agenda strongly condemned the "authoritarian behavior displayed by MTV in dealing with journalist Elsy Moufarrej, who has been working there for more than 10 years, due to her trade union work and her advocacy for freedom of expression."
The organization added that MTV's decision "shows the priority of regulating the media in a way that protects the freedoms of journalists and ensures respect for professional ethics." Legal Agenda finally said that what happened will "give greater momentum to the Alternative Press Syndicate" to strengthen its role as a reference point for journalists on freedom of expression.