Two wounded in protest against Lebanon's closure of TV station

BEIRUT, Sept 8 (AFP) - Two demonstrators were wounded in clashes with police during a protest against the closure of Lebanon's MTV channel, the voice of the anti-Syrian Christian opposition, a newspaper here said Sunday.

A number of people were arrested after MTV employees took to the streets near parliament late Saturday to express anger at the forced closure of their station, the An-Nahar daily reported. Police fired water cannons to disperse the demonstrators as they tried to approach the parliament building.

They were protesting against the forced closure by police Wednesday of MTV and its sister radio station RML, after both were accused of broadcasting illegal electoral propaganda, undermining relations with Syria -- the main power broker in Lebanon -- and harming the dignity of the president.

The decision sparked expressions of concern from the French and US governments as well as a raft of groups within Lebanon. Three organizations from different ends of the political spectrum -- the Christian opposition umbrella group Qornet Shahuan, the Movement for Democratic Renewal headed by Nasib Lahoud, cousin of President Emile Lahoud, and the leftist Democratic Tribune -- have called a fresh protest for late Tuesday.

Outcry over closure of Lebanese opposition broadcaster

by Nayla Razzouk

BEIRUT, Sept 6 (AFP) - The closure by court order of twin television and radio stations that were the main voice of Lebanon's anti-Syrian Christian opposition sparked a chorus of criticism Friday both at home and abroad. Groups as diverse as the US embassy and the Shiite Muslim militant movement Hezbollah expressed concern about the implications of the shutdown for freedom of speech in Lebanon's diverse society.

The US embassy said it was "deeply troubled" by the action of security forces against MTV television and its sister radio station RML, which have long spoken out against the dominant influence of neighbouring Syria over the Lebanese government.

"Because the legal justification of this action was based primarily on the content of MTV's programming, the closure calls into question Lebanon's commitment to freedom of the press," an embassy statement said. The shutdown was "at odds with Lebanon's long history of commitment to freedom of speech and political expression," the statement said, urging authorities to permit the "expression of a multitude of opinions that represent Lebanon's rich and diverse society."

French foreign ministry spokesman Francois Rivasseau described the closure as "worrying", insisting that "media freedom is essential" in a country with political currents as varied as Lebanon's. Hezbollah MP Abdullah Qassir said the closure "does not help the cause of  freedom of expression, a special characteristic of Lebanon that we must preserve."

But he declined to be drawn on the broadcaster's editorial line, which has long been opposed to his group's Syrian patrons. MTV and RML are both owned by Christian opposition MP Gabriel Murr, who was elected to parliament in a June by-election at the expense of a government-backed candidate.

The court had ruled that MTV harmed relations with Syria, undermined the dignity of the Lebanese president and broadcast illegal electoral propaganda. The suspensions provoked an outcry that caused rifts within the government, with four ministers boycotting the weekly cabinet session late Thursday which newspapers criticised for failing to address the issue.

Three of the ministers are close aides of prominent Druze overlord MP Walid Jumblatt. The fourth is Bahij Tabbarah, a member of the parliamentary block of  Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, who has remained silent over the issue.

All Beirut newspapers published a front-page statement by the press syndicate and the journalists' union denouncing the "unjust" suspension of MTV and RML Wednesday. "Despite our esteem for the judiciary, we cannot but consider this measure to be unjust and out of place, especially as it comes amid a tense political climate," it said.

"It may also be used to instigate sectarianism, restrict public freedoms and portray the state as a party (to the conflict)," said the two press unions which held an emergency meeting over the issue Thursday. The English-language Daily Star noted that "politicians who usually differ maintained a unified front to rally around public freedoms and criticize the judiciary."

Beirut newspapers reported that among the measures that could be adopted was a "white media day" during which newspapers would print white pages and broadcasters go off the air. Media executives were also contemplating a boycott of coverage of activities by government officials.

The country's two bar associations also held a one-day strike Friday "to counter attempts against freedoms."

Press watchdog blasts forced closure of Lebanese TV

BEIRUT, Sept 6 (AFP) - The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) denounced Friday the closure by security forces of Lebanon's MTV television, the main voice of the anti-Syrian Christian opposition. "The arbitrary and violent actions of the Lebanese security forces are a grave threat to press freedom in the country," CPJ executive director Ann Cooper said in a statement faxed to AFP in Beirut.

"MTV should be allowed to reopen immediately," Cooper said. The CPJ said "Lebanese security officers ... roughed up employees, and forcibly shut down" MTV and its sister radio company, RML, on Wednesday following a media court order.

The closure set a precent, as it was the first time that a medium has been forcibl shut down. "One MTV employee told the CPJ that the Internal Security Forces did not present a judicial order and that they were verbally abusive -- pushing staff around as they raided the building and ordering all employees to leave immediately," it said.

The move has provoked an outcry over freedom of speech and rifts within the government. The press syndicate met in emergency session Thursday and decided to appeal the court order against MTV and RML, both owned by Christian opposition MP Gabriel Murr.

Murr became a member of parliament in June by defeating his niece, the sister of Interior Minister Elias Murr who is married to the daughter of Lebanese President Emile Lahoud. The court had ruled that MTV harmed relations with powerful neighbor Syria, undermined the dignity of the Lebanese president and broadcast illegal electoral propaganda.