Samir Kassir's car-bomb murder still unpunished two years later

Reporters Without Borders voices its support for the tributes being paid in Paris to Lebanese journalist Samir Kassir on 4 June, to mark the second anniversary of his car-bomb murder in Beirut on 2 June 2005. A meeting is to be held at the Arab World Institute in Paris. At the same time, the press freedom organisation wonders why the investigation into his death is so slow and why no one has yet been arrested. “With a deep emotion on the second anniversary of Kassir's death, we convey our solidarity to his widow, family and colleagues and we pay tribute again to his intelligence, courage and freedom of spirit,” the press freedom organisation said. “It is a terrible shame that neither the French not the Lebanese investigation into his murder has identified his killers. This lack of progress is very distressing for his friends and family.” Reporters Without Borders added: “UN Security Council resolution 1757 authorising an international tribunal is good news. Even if its mandate is limited to trying suspects in the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, we hope it will be a first step towards ending impunity for those responsible for the series of murders and attacks on Lebanese politicians and journalists since 14 February 2004. It is clear to everyone that there should be technical and judicial cooperation between the Hariri and Kassir investigations.” Reporters Without Borders is supporting the invitation issued by the Association of Friends of Samir Kassir and the Samir Kassir Foundation for a rally at the Arab World Institute in Paris at 7: 30 p.m. on 4 June. Henry Laurens, Farouk Mardam-Bey, Edwy Plenel, Elias Sanbar and Jad Tabet will be present. Some 20 Reporters Without Borders activists intend to unfurl a 150-square-metre Lebanese flag in homage to the An-Nahar columnist. As well as paying tribute to his personality and his struggle, the rally is being held to press for more determined efforts to find out who killed him. A writer, historian and political science professor at Beirut's St. Joseph university, Kassir was a columnist for the Arabic-language daily An-Nahar (“The Day”) for the last 10 years of his life. He was also a contributor to the French international television station TV5 and the French monthly Le Monde Diplomatique. He was an outspoken critic of Syrian influence in Lebanon, especially after the Hariri assassination, when he took part in the big rallies in defence of Lebanese sovereignty during what was called the “Beirut spring.” A French investigation into his murder is being conducted by judge Jean-Louis Bruguière in addition to the Lebanese investigation led by judge Sami Sodki. Bruguière has been to Beirut twice since July 2006 and witnesses have been questioned in France and Lebanon, but neither investigation seems to have made much progress.