(Beirut) – Lebanon’s parliament should amend the recently-adopted media law to fully remove all provisions in Lebanese law that restrict the right to free expression, Human Rights Watch said today. Parliament passed the law on August 11, 2026, but a new draft law introduced by 10 members of parliament on October 5 offers amendments to the law that would resolve its key problematic provisions.

“Given the history of public officials and powerful individuals abusing Lebanon’s laws to clamp down on journalists, activists, and artists, parliament should act to prevent further abuse,” said Ramzi Kaiss , Lebanon researcher at Human Rights Watch. “No one should face abusive retaliation for peacefully expressing their views, and parliament has a chance to end these abuses right here and now.”

The media law, which parliament adopted after 16 years of deliberation , includes significant improvements.…