Firas Hatoum is a Journalist and a TV Reporter who works with New TV Lebanon. Firas and two of his friends who work at the station were charged and jailed for tampering with criminal evidence. Firas broke into the apartment of Mohammed Zuhair Siddiq, who is wanted in Lebanon for his connection to the assassination of Former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik El Hariri.
Firas Hatoum was detained on Friday December 15 of 2006. Firas and his friends were moved to a suburban prison east of Beirut. If found guilty, Firas and his friends might face a jail term from 3 to 15 years.
It is a fact that Firas Hatoum illegally entered the apartment. The initial plan was only to take pictures of the building from outside, but Firas rash decision and journalistic enthusiasm pushed him into going into the appartment of Mohamed Zuhair Siddiq with hopes of finding any documents relevant to the Hariri Assasination Plan.
New TV has launched a special support campaign to help the release of Firas and his friends.