The Lebanese Judicial authorities have turned down the case filed by the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation International LBCI against the singer Ragheb Alameh accusing him of defamation.
Beirut’s Magistrate Hatem Madi turned down the case against Alameh for insufficient evidences and imposed fine on the claimant, LBCI, including the case fees and legal expenditure linked with the case.
According to the London based Arabic daily al Sharq al Awsat, the LBCI filed a lawsuit directly against Alameh accusing him of defaming the station in a press interview with a local paper on June 1, 2001 and in which he talked about monopoly on part of the station of the art it is involved in.
In his decision the magistrate considered the “statements in the interview as not hurting the LBCI reputation although it was targeted with such statements. The interview from the viewpoint of the defendant constitutes a criticism for the way the LBCI deals with artists. This criticism which might have been harsh did not reach the level of defamation or hurting dignity because it did not include any personal or professional offense against the plaintiff, said the magistrate.
“Phrases such as monopoly, striking art, looking down upon art and looking down upon the Arab citizen constitute an expression of the person who says them and a criticism of the way the plaintiff operates. This is in addition to fact that these words, whether true or not, are prevalent in the work market whether it is artistic or commercial as long as the market is based on competition,” the court said.
Alameh who is currently on a visit to Cairo, told the daily, “the decision is a victory for freedom in Lebanon and a victory for the freedom of speech and the Lebanese artists and a new evidence on the fairness of the Lebanese judiciary system.” -- Albawaba.com
