The anti-Hezbollah news outlet , Al-Janoubia, comes under threat
Now Lebanon/ March 01/16
BEIRUT – The popular Janoubia online outlet that maintains an editorial line critical of Hezbollah has become the target of a menacing social media campaign, with the site’s editor-in-chief warning the intimidation could serve as a run-up for “aggressive” actions.
Supporters of Hezbollah in Lebanon have spread a highly inflammatory message across Facebook and the WhatsApp messaging service accusing the news site—and its owner Ali al-Amin—of colluding with Israel, a dangerous claim in a country that remains in a technical state of war with its southern neighbors.
“We are concerned that this campaign will be a prelude to an action or aggression against us, especially since such campaigns are not new to us,” Amin told the SKeyes Center for Media and Cultural Freedom (Samir Kassir Eyes).
“The charge is an attempt to create a negative atmosphere against us, especially since [Janoubia] is effective and makes an impact, and this campaign aims to target this impact,” the under-fire website’s owner added.
Styled to look like a journalistic report, the message—which first started making the rounds on Tuesday afternoon—cites “Lebanese security sources” as saying that Amin was “coordinating directly by e-mail” with Israel Defense Force’s Arabic-language spokesperson Avichay Adraee.
The defamatory dispatch went even further, claiming that the IDF spokesperson had granted Amin funding on the condition that “Adraee and his electronic team supervise what is published on Janoubia,” which would be illegal under Lebanese law.
Notably, the heavily circulated message carried the veiled menace of physical action against Janoubia, publicizing that the website’s headquarters were “located in Beirut’s Southern Dahiyeh, Hezbollah’s stronghold.”
“We hold Hezbollah directly responsible for any harm that Janoubia may suffer,” the site said in a statement.
Despite the specter of action against his site, Amin stressed that Janoubia would continue to work as normal.
The SKeyes Center for Media and Cultural Freedom (Samir Kassir Eyes) quickly condemned the unsubstantiated accusations spreading against Janoubia.
The freedom of speech advocate group said it holds security agencies “responsible for the safety of the site and its employees” while at the same time calling on Hezbollah officials to move against the perpetrators of the “tendentious, fabricated and seditious statement.”
Janoubia, for its part, said it would “not go to the trouble of denying this fictitious statement.”
“We will make do with publishing it so that it is available for the public with the assurance that our pens will not be chained by threats and our Lebanese project shall go on.”