DUBAI: Lebanon’s information minister George Kordahi on Tuesday labeled himself a “great defender of press freedom” and denied accusations that he was trying to repress the media.
Kordahi, who was appointed to the new cabinet last month, has sparked controversy with a series of announcements seen as an attempt to restrict the media.
Days after taking the position, he called on outlets not to host analysts critical of the new government. Last week, the former gameshow host and supporter of Syria’s Bashar Assad, said the media cannot “assault the dignity of politicians.”
Speaking as he toured the state-run TV channel Tele Liban on Tuesday, Kordahi said: “We are among the great protectors of freedom in Lebanon and the great advocates for it.”
In response to questions over his recent comments, Kordahi said he wanted to reassure “all those who are afraid for freedom in Lebanon” that he is one of the greatest protectors of liberties.
He described accusations that he is moving to stifle press freedom as false and baseless, the National News Agency reported.
“I don’t want to fight the media but rather want to strengthen and support it … media is my family and I feel the suffering of every professional and will try to help all public and private media,” he said.
“Does the Lebanese constitution and laws permit anyone to suppress the media?” the minister asked.
He said he had been “unjustifiably targeted” by a campaign against him.
In terms of his plans for the media, Kordahi said he is assessing the current condition of the information ministry.
Arab News reported last week that during a meeting with members of the Lebanese Press Editor’s Syndicate, the minister said he would study and prepare a media code of conduct, “aimed at respecting the dignity, freedoms and merits of others, in addition to studying other laws found in parliamentary committees.”
“We are heading towards a new future, so let us establish systems and rules for the Lebanese media in the long term,” Kordahi said.
During his visit on Tuesday Kordahi said he had started his career at Tele Liban. The minister rose to fame hosting the Arab version of “Who wants to be Millionaire?”
Lebanese information minister rebuffs ‘baseless accusations’ over press freedom
https://arab.news/p7a3g
Lebanese information minister rebuffs ‘baseless accusations’ over press freedom
- George Kordahi claims he is a great defender of the media
- Minister previously urged journalist not to attack politicians
Israeli court overturns conviction of officer who assaulted Palestinian journalist, citing ‘Oct. 7 PTSD’
- Judge sentenced Yitzhak Sofer to 300 hours of community service, saying officer “devoted his life to Israel’s security” and conviction was “disproportionate to severity of his actions”
- Footage shows Sofer throwing photojournalist Mustafa Alkharouf to the ground, and repeatedly beating and kicking him while he covered Palestinian gatherings near Al-Aqsa Mosque
LONDON: An Israeli court overturned the conviction of a border police officer who assaulted a Palestinian journalist, ruling his actions were influenced by post-traumatic stress disorder from serving during the Oct. 7 2023 attacks.
On Tuesday, the Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court sentenced officer Yitzhak Sofer to 300 hours of community service for assaulting Anadolu Agency photojournalist Mustafa Alkharouf in occupied East Jerusalem in December 2023.
Footage shows Sofer and other officers drawing weapons, throwing Alkharouf to the ground, and repeatedly beating and kicking him while he covered Palestinian gatherings near Al-Aqsa Mosque amid heavy restrictions.
Alkharouf was hospitalized with facial and body injuries. His cameraman, Faiz Abu Ramila, was also attacked.
Anadolu photojournalist Mustafa Alkharouf violently attacked by Israeli army in occupied East Jerusalem while covering Palestinian prayers near Al-Aqsa Mosque
— Anadolu English (@anadoluagency) December 15, 2023
Incident highlights ongoing restrictions on Friday prayers and press freedom in region https://t.co/exT6XqjEaA pic.twitter.com/pqugK9HnOt
Sofer had been convicted in September 2024 of assault causing bodily harm (acquitted of threats) and initially faced six months’ community service, as recommended by Mahash, the Justice Ministry’s police misconduct unit.
Judge Amir Shaked accepted the defense request to cancel the conviction, replacing it with community service.
He cited Sofer’s PTSD from responding to the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attack, noting the officer had “no prior criminal record” and had “devoted his life to Israel’s security.”
“The court cannot ignore this when considering whether the defendant’s conviction should stand,” he said, adding that while the incident is “serious and does cross the criminal threshold,” the conviction in place could cause Sofer harm “disproportionate to the severity of his actions.”
The ruling comes amid surging attacks on journalists in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza since Israel’s war on Gaza began.
The Committee to Protect Journalists reported Israel responsible for two-thirds of the 129 media workers killed worldwide in 2025, the deadliest year on record, citing a “persistent culture of impunity” and lack of transparent probes.
Reporters Without Borders called the Israeli army the “worst enemy of journalists” in its 2025 report, with nearly half of global reporter deaths in Gaza.
Foreign journalists face raids, arrests and intimidation. In late January 2026, Israel’s Supreme Court granted a delay on ruling a ban on foreign media access to Gaza.
