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Bahia Hariri Sues MTV, Adel Karam over Parody Picture

Al-Mustaqbal bloc MP Bahia Hariri filed a lawsuit on Wednesday against MTV after a show on the local television channel aired a computer-generated image that was considered offensive to Islam.

The image shows the veiled lawmaker's head placed on the body of a contestant on “Dancing with the Stars” and it was aired during “Hayda Haki,” a weekly satirical program hosted by comedian and TV personality Adel Karam.

"Hariri filed a lawsuit with General Prosecutor Samir Hammoud against MTV and Karam,” the state-run National News Agency reported.

The NNA added that both defendants were called for hearing on Friday morning.

Al-Mustaqbal bloc head MP Fouad Saniora had deplored earlier on Wednesday "offending" Hariri, noting that disregarding ethical and professional standards has become a frequent problem in the country, whether in politics, media or in security-related matters.

"We are with freedom but we support a responsible freedom that respects people's dignity and that abides by laws, norms and ethical standards that the Lebanese hold onto,” he explained.

The former premier added: “Things cannot continue in this manner without any legal, ethical and national regulations.”

Meanwhile, the municipality chief of the southern city of Sidon Mohammed al-Seoudi considered that the “offensive occurrence deepened that pain and the sad atmosphere prevailing in the country on the eve of the anniversary of late Prime Minister Rafik Hariri's assassination.”

Soon after the TV show aired the photoshopped image on Tuesday evening, several Sidon residents took to the streets, blocking the road near the Awwali River at the entrance of the southern city.

Karam then apologized for what he called a “mistake in the show's editing process.”

"Hariri has a forgiving heart and it is our duty to apologize to her over an unintended mistake generated in the editing process, and which offended a religious belief and the MP,” he wrote on his Twitter account.

The show's director Nasser Faqih also apologized, remarking that “offending Hariri was not intentional.”


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