On 3 September 2026, Lebanon’s Media Law No. 69 entered into force immediately upon publication in Official Gazette No. 38. Parliament had adopted the law on 11 August and the President signed it on 27 August. The law replaces much of the older print and broadcast framework and regulates print, broadcast and online media under one statute.
The law introduces important safeguards. It provides notification-based establishment for periodicals and professional media websites, protects confidential sources and editorial independence, prohibits pretrial detention for offences committed through covered media or electronic means, and removes military-court jurisdiction over expression and media offences covered by the law.
The principal concern is Article 104(b), which punishes intentionally fabricating falsehoods and publishing false or harmful news with three months to three years’ imprisonment, a fine, or both. Amnesty International warned that the undefined wording could enable arbitrary investigations and prosecutions. Information Minister Paul Morcos has defended the law’s broader reforms while supporting further amendments. The law therefore improves several protections but leaves a criminal provision that may discourage public-interest reporting and criticism.