International organization calls for release of journalist
Lebanon, Judicial, 11/26/1997

An international organization for the defense of journalists on Tuesday urged the government to release a Lebanese reporter who has been in custody since March this year.

The Paris-based Reporters Without Borders, addressing Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in a letter, called on the Lebanese government to let go of Tony Chamieh, a reporter with a local television station.

Chamieh was sentenced by a military court on Monday to one year in jail for allegedly collaborating with Israel. He was accused mainly of spying and selling tapes of Hezbollah activities in south Lebanon to Israeli agents.

Six other Lebanese were also sentenced to prison terms ranging between three and 15 years, all with the same charges.

Chamieh's lawyer denied the charges and demanded his clients' release.

Reporters Without Borders accused the Lebanese government of illegally holding Chamieh with not enough evidence and claimed his client had been "forced to sign confessions" upon his arrest.

Lebanon forbids any contact with the Israel which has occupied a part of south Lebanon since 1985. The maximum penalty for collaborating with Israel is the death sentence.

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