The Lebanese Forces (LF) said Friday that it would file suit against the chairman of the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation (LBC) Pierre Daher and a number of figures who took part in a televised talk show Thursday night.
During the program, Daher, along with his attorney and several other guests, defended his ownership of LBC after an indictment issued last Thursday by a Beirut investigating magistrate charged Daher with embezzlement, fraud and abuse of trust in assuming control over the station.
An LF statement said Daher, who claims to be keen on preserving freedom of expression, invited to the talk show only guests of “one color and [the LF’s] political enemies known to be [loyal] to Syria,” which refuted his claims of impartiality.
“The talk show was a televised judicial court to put LF leader Samir Geagea on trial, contrary to all conventions, while the LF has resorted to legal means and presented its case before the appropriate judicial authorities to settle the dispute.”
For his part, Justice Minister Ibrahim Najjar said he refused to get “dragged into” the commotion over a case by Daher, who related his surprise upon discovering that Najjar, while minister, acted as legal counsel for the late Antoine Choueiry involving a dispute between Daher and Choueiry.
Najjar said he was acting in the capacity of a friend, and not a lawyer, denying that he had violated any law governing the legal profession.
Najjar said he was acting in the capacity of a friend, and not a lawyer, denying that he had violated any law governing the legal profession.
The legal dispute between the LF and LBC started in November 2007 over the ownership of LBC, which was established by the then-militia in 1985.
Daher said during the interview Geagea “forgot” he had sold him LBC in 1992 for $5 million after the LF’s relationship with state authorities had begun to deteriorate, ruling out the possibility of the LF obtaining a license to operate a television station.
Daher’s lawyer, Naoum Farah, also argued that the court, which issued the indictment against Daher, had no jurisdiction to look into the case, which fell under the jurisdiction of the Shura Council, since it was covered by the 1994 Audiovisual Media Law.
Other guests during the program argued that the LF, as a political party, had no right to own a media outlet.
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