Catholic Information Center Denies Bkirki Lawsuit Against al-Watan
The head of the Catholic Information Center Father Abdo Abu Kasam denied on Thursday that the seat of the Maronite church had filed a lawsuit against a Saudi daily for mocking the patriarch.
In remarks to Voice of Lebanon radio (93.3), Abu Kasam said the church “knows how to respond in a civilized manner” to a caricature of Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi published by al-Watan newspaper.
He said a clear stance from the caricature would be made after a scheduled meeting at the center next week.
Abu Kasam said the seat of the Maronite church in Bkirki hasn't received any apology from al-Watan for publishing the caricature that criticizes al-Rahi's latest visit to Damascus.
VDL said Wednesday that lawyer Wadih Aql filed a criminal complaint with the general prosecutor’s office against the newspaper's publisher, its editor-in-chief and the caricaturist, Jihad Awrati.
Aql accused them of slandering the patriarch and inciting strife and racism, the radio station said.
The caricature replaced al-Rahi's mitre with a rocket and highlighted the common letters between the patriarch and the Syrian president's names in Arabic.
The depiction was met with anger and criticism on social media websites.
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