Turkey calls out Macron for tirade against journalist

By Ali Murat Alhas

ANKARA (AA) – Turkey on Thursday criticized French President Emmanuel Macron for his “disrespectful” behavior towards a journalist in the Lebanese capital Beirut.

“We are deeply concerned about French President Macron’s disrespectful reaction to Le Figaro’s Georges Malbrunot over his report on the former’s meeting with Hezbollah,” Fahrettin Altun, Turkey’s communications director, said on Twitter.

Citing the police brutality against reporters during nationwide protests in France earlier this year, he said Macron’s action have made it “clear that France is becoming an increasingly dangerous place for journalists.”

“Mr. Macron dreams of a world, in which he is not subject to scrutiny or reality: He wants reporters not to report because it would upset him. He wants a war criminal to win the Libyan civil war just because he so desires,” said Altun.

Macron berated the journalist after a news conference on Tuesday for his story on the French president's unannounced meeting with a senior Hezbollah leader.

Malbrunot also wrote that Macron has threatened to impose sanctions against Hezbollah leaders if the group does not support the reforms France is pressing for in Lebanon.