Following a series of threats by Assad regime and ISIS terrorists targeting Orient News, Agence France-Presse joins the former in a never-ending list of threats.

AFP’s Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, Christian Chaise, sent a letter containing an explicit threat to prosecute Orient News because of a critical video posted on the widely circulated Tele Orient Facebook page.

The video included a sarcastic critique of the agency’s performance in Syrian affairs, especially AFP’s latest interview with Bashar Assad which Syrian activists named: The Interview of Shame.

The following is a translation of Orient News response to Chaise’s letter:

Mr. Christian Chaise (AFP)

We received a letter from you on April 25, 2017 threatening to sue our news channel if a certain video published on one of Orient News Facebook pages was not removed. This particular video showcases AFP’s coverage of the Syrian affairs, particularly the agency’s recent interview with Assad.

The letter alleges that the video constitutes a flagrant violation of copyright, harms AFP’s interests and defames the agency and a particular journalist working for it, threatening with prosecution if the video is not withdrawn, ending with insults, such as "regrettable absence of any media ethics" and "no honor."

Firstly, Orient News did not infringe copyrights in the video:

1. The sections we took from your video are very short, ranging from 4 to 8 seconds, which is an accepted range by press practice to be used without permission.

2. The video clips were published with AFP’s logo, after repeatedly pointing out that they were clips from the agency.

3. The video clips were not used for commercial or news purposes, rather for commenting on the performance of the agency in a critical and cynical program, which is very common in the new media, accepted in the traditions of the profession, and is even one of the most important forms of freedom of expression and opinion.

4. These video clips were taken from AFP’s public website which can be accessed by anyone.

5. It was not possible to ask permission from your agency to use these videos because, as is clear from your letter, you want to deprive us of the right (and duty) to reveal your grave mistakes against an entire population. And our past experiences with your agency confirm your refusal to open the doors of dialogue or deal professionally. Your agency refused to respond to dozens of phone calls in which we requested clarification of your news items or asked you to comment on the news you published. Moreover, on 5/5/2014, a representative of Orient group went to your agency’s headquarters in Paris asking to comment on the fabricated news published by AFP, but our representative was not welcomed and when he argued that Orient would shed light on AFP’s fabricated Syria coverage, someone from the agency responded by saying: “Do whatever you want.”

Secondly, Orient News was not the only one to criticize AFP’s interview with Assad, as many media outlets and prominent personalities did so too, including the French Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development and CNN which refused to broadcast the interview because it considered it participation in the publication of propaganda for a thug accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity and considered the performance of AFP’s journalist to be unprofessional and promoting of a thug who committed a crime just a few days ago by using weapons of mass destruction against civilians.

Thirdly, the performance of AFP in the Syrian affairs has long been criticized by many, including Orient group and millions of Syrians.

Here is one example, though we have dozens of other documented examples:

On 4/5/2014, AFP published a false and fabricated news item in which it stated that "Syrian Christians crucified if they refuse to convert to Islam", "Syrian Muslims cut off the heads of Christians and then use them as footballs" and "Syrian Muslims suspend Christian embryos by their umbilical cords from trees in Ma’loula town." On the same day, AFP wrote the following biased and misleading phrase: "At a time when everyone is committing massacres in Syria, Syrian Christians prefer the secular Assad regime."

This is a series of false news broadcast by your agency in one day, and we have many others, which are completely fabricated and baseless.

You know Mr. Chaise that the Syrian people are being subjected to a genocide and we do not think you expect us to be silent regarding those who promote the perpetrator of these crimes. Criticism of press work for news agencies is a right protected by laws and constitutions in all countries of the world.

Fourthly, the alleged racist insults against AFP’s journalist mentioned in the video are merely a phrase in a cynical and comical context. Our team did not intend to offend any affiliation, and although the term used is acceptable and commonly used in this type of program, we do not tolerate any word that could be misinterpreted with regard to a particular segment of people.

Fifthly, it is ironic that your agency offers Orient lessons in honor and ethics. We have responded to your aggressive and threatening message immediately upon receiving it, while AFP refused to respond to dozens of phone calls and refused to speak with Orient’s representative when he went to the agency’s headquarters to understand why the agency distorted and insulted the Syrian people at a time in which your agency take the side of a killer who killed so far hundreds of thousands of civilians. It is also ironic that you take the side of this criminal and give lessons to morality to a side that speaks for the victims of this killer.

Finally, we assure you that we will not delete the video. We are ready and honored to take this to court where justice can be served.

Translation: Halla Barakat