BEIRUT: In the latest report from SKeyes Center for Media and Cultural Freedom, based in Lebanon, the organization says that “censorship and [the] dismissal of journalists marked the media and cultural scene during the month of December.”

The NGO monitors violations of the rights of journalists, writers, intellectuals, artists, bloggers and human rights activists in the region.

While Syria “witnessed undeniably the most violent exactions,” including the murder of one journalist and the attack on another, several censorship cases were recorded in Lebanon.

The Criminal Investigation Unit summoned the author of the book “Al-Maassara” and released him under condition of not leaving the country, according to SKeyes.

General Security banned Danielle Arbid’s movie “Beirut Hotel,” and two scenes in Samer Daaboul’s film “Out Loud” were censored, the report adds.
The title of Chris Miller’s animation movie “Puss in Boots” was changed to “Cat in Boots,” the media watchdog also notes.

“Political pressure was also exerted on several television channels, pushing them to remove an ad spot for the campaign to criminalize violence against women,” according to SKeyes.
Journalists from Al-Balad and LBC also lost their jobs in December, the report adds.