Limitations On Freedom of Speech
There were some improvements since the withdrawal of 25,000 Syrian troops from Lebanon in April 2005 in what was dubbed the Cedar Revolution by the West. However, journalists and politicians known to be critical of Syria continue to be a target through car-bomb assassinations. Waltz With Bashir, an Israeli film that criticizes aspects of the way the Israeli army handled the 1982 Lebanon War has been banned, although the film is popular among Palestinians living in Lebanon who purchased bootleg copies. Other movies are banned as well, for example "Schindler's List" is banned for promoting Jewish sympathy. Other books and movies are banned for supposedly insulting religion, for example "The Da Vinci Code" and "The Satanic Verses".
Lady Gaga's album Born This Way was rumored to be banned in Lebanon for being "offensive to Christianity", according to a 6 June 2011 report in the Jerusalem Post. The report also said that the albums were impounded by Lebanese authorities. However, Kamal Safa, the head of the publications department of Lebanon’s General Security, issued a media statement Wednesday confirming that “Born This Way,” had not been banned. The albums were released for sale the next week.
Read more about this topic: Human Rights In Lebanon
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