Lebanese authorities detain Syrian reporter

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published November 27, 2018

BEIRUT - The Committee to Protect Journalists has condemned the imprisonment without charge of Abdel Hafez al-Houlani, a correspondent for the Syrian pro-opposition news website Zaman al-Wasl in the northeastern Lebanese city of Arsal, and called on Lebanese authorities to immediately disclose charges against him or set him free.

Lebanese State Security, one of Lebanon's four main intelligence and security agencies, summoned Al-Houlani for interrogation to their offices in the northeastern city of Hermel, 144 kilometers (89.4 miles) northeast of Beirut, upon his return from Syria on November 21. They have since held him there without informing him of any charges against him, according to his employer, the Syrian Journalists Association, and news reports.

Fathi Ibrahim Bayoud, Editor-in-Chief of Zaman al-Wasl, told CPJ that the summons to Al-Houlani followed the publication of an article with his byline dated November 18, 2018, saying that 20 pregnant Syrian refugee women living in Arsal had miscarried after drinking polluted water that allegedly carried a deadly virus.

The article, which cited unnamed medical sources, said the women didn't have any previous conditions and hadn't experienced any previous miscarriages. Citing the Lebanese Minister of State for Refugee Affairs Mouin Merehbi, the article attributed the problems facing Syrian refugees in Lebanon to the lack of coordination between another security agency, General Security, and the Ministry of State for Refugee Affairs.

"We are alarmed by the jailing without charge of Syrian journalist Abdel Hafez al-Houlani and call on Lebanese authorities to release him immediately," said CPJ Middle East and North Africa Program Coordinator Sherif Mansour from Washington, D.C. "Reporting on refugee matters is not a crime. Rather than jailing journalists, Lebanese authorities should do everything in their power to guarantee their safety."

The Lebanese State Security didn't immediately reply to CPJ's emailed request for comment.

Lebanese intelligence agents in May 2018 arrested Al-Houlani at his tent in the Wafa al-Umani refugee camp in the northeastern Lebanese city of Arsal, 123 km (77 miles) northeast of Beirut, and took him to the Defense Ministry prison in Beirut without informing him of any charges, according to CPJ research. CPJ could not determine which security agency had arrested him. He was released a day later.

In 2012, al-Houlani began contributing to Zaman al-Wasl, which was founded in 2005 by activists in Homs opposed to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and became a staff reporter in 2013. He mainly covers human interest stories and social issues involving refugees, Mohammad Hamdan, Zaman al-Wasl's managing editor, told CPJ in May 2018.

Al-Houlani, who is originally from Homs and moved to Lebanon in 2012, also works as a social worker and runs a small care center for elderly people in Arsal, according to news reports. – A CPJ News Alert/Photo: Reuters

Sindhi journalist AD Shar brutally murdered, PFUJ declares three-day mourning

 April 11, 2025:  Sindhi journalist AD Shar was brutally murdered in Khairpur, Sindh. His body was found dumped on Handiyari Link Road. PFUJ has declared a three-day mourning period and demanded justice.

AJK government registers case against newspaper and staff

 April 10, 2025:  The Azad Jammu and Kashmir government has filed a case against The Daily Jammu & Kashmir and its staff for alleged fake news, drawing condemnation from PFUJ and IFJ, who demand immediate withdrawal of the FIR and an end to media repression in Pakistan.

Journalist Arzoo Kazmi alleges FIA threats, possible arrest over reporting

 April 08, 2025:  Journalist Arzoo Kazmi alleges that Pakistan's state agencies, including the FIA, have blocked her CNIC, passport, and bank account while threatening her. She calls it a direct attack on journalism.

Noorani’s missing brothers: Court orders IG to produce individuals

 April 07, 2025:  The Islamabad High Court has directed IG Islamabad to produce journalist Ahmad Noorani’s missing brothers, as the Ministry of Defence denies custody. SIM activity was traced in Bahawalpur, and investigations into their suspected abduction continue.

Journalist Farhan Mallick granted bail

 April 07, 2025:  Journalist and Raftar founder Farhan Mallick has been granted bail by a Karachi court in a case concerning anti-state content aired on his YouTube channel. He still faces separate charges related to an alleged illegal call center and data theft.

Ghulam Abbas Shah joins Discover Pakistan as Head of Programming

 April 03, 2025:  Veteran journalist Ghulam Abbas Shah has joined Discover Pakistan Television as the Head of Programming. With 25 years of experience in leading news organizations, he looks forward to contributing to quality storytelling and content.

PFUJ condemns Pakistani journalists' visit to Israel as an ethical violation

 April 02, 2025:  The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has strongly condemned the visit of a group of Pakistani journalists to Israel, calling it a violation of journalistic ethics and a betrayal of press freedom and human rights. PFUJ demands a transparent investigation into the matter.

Can films fight terrorism? Dawn raises doubts

 March 30, 2025:  Dawn criticizes Pakistan’s plan to use TV dramas against extremism, highlighting financial and digital challenges. Can media alone solve deep-rooted issues?