The Lebanese Executives Council lodged on Sunday a complaint with the public prosecution against news presenter Georges Yasmine, writer Ghassan Saoud who was hosted by the latter, and OTV (a TV station connected to the Free Patriotic Movement political party).
In a press release, the council denounced the statements lately delivered by writer Ghassan Saoud, “which have directly offended the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its leadership and which were delivered during a televised interview, broadcast on OTV, with presenter George Yasmine.”
The council voiced its rejection to “such media violations altogether which jeopardize the Lebanese people’s interests in the world,” calling for a large-scale condemnation of such “irresponsible acts”.
“The people of Saudi Arabia and Lebanon have long-standing historic ties which will not be undermined by any individual who holds grudges and who prioritizes his personal interests over that of expats in the Kingdom or in any other country across the world.”
“On the Lebanese Expatriate Day (celebrated today, March 14th), and at a time when Lebanon is going through the worst health, economic and political crisis in its recent history, OTV aired an interview held by its new presenter Georges Yasmine with the so-called Ghassan Saoud for 1.5 hours, during which the latter spread his poisons and hallucinations that no one else has,” the council’s head Rabih El-Amine said.
El-Amine noted that Saoud’s words, which were against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its leadership, “were absolutely shameful.”
He added that the Lebanese judiciary has the duty to play its role in full and to assume its responsibilities in order to protect the interests of those who suffer from being expatriates away from their nation, urging the justice system to hold the ones who disregard Lebanon’s current political and economic crisis to account.
