الاتحاد الكاثوليكي العالمي للصحافة- لبنان اوسيب – لبنان
The International Catholic Union of the Press – Lebanon (UCIP-Lebanon) condemned the assault on a crew from "MTV" channel in Lassa as well as the one on the secretary of Lebanese University (LU) Faculty of Media and Documentation, warning that such incidents could undermine coexistence in Lebanon and tarnish the reputation of the Lebanese University and other public institutions.
In this regard, UCIP Media observatory issued the following statement:
1- Resorting to force in order to reach an aim or impose an opinion violates laws principles and threatens the social contract in Lebanon. Public authorities should prevent attacks against people working in the media field such as the assault on "MTV" crew in Lassa which threatened security. Disrespecting laws, public and private freedoms undermines the State and its institutions.
2- The same applies to the incident that took place at Rafik Hariri Stadium in Hadath when Professor Antoine Harb, the secretary of LU's Faculty of Media and Documentation at branch two was assaulted by young men during entrance exams. This incident tarnished the reputation of the Lebanese University which had witnessed many similar incidents as well as the image of the Lebanese young generation. Such practices undermined the confidence of young people in public institutions, sowed the seeds of discord and fuelled the fear of other.
This aggressing is extremely dangerous as the victim was a civil servant accomplishing his duty and trying to prevent cribbing. Officials in the University as well as all the relevant authorities must therefore re-boost the confidence in the University, guarantee public freedoms and maintain an impeccably high academic level.
