BEIRUT - FOUR journalists and rights activists from Tunisia, Saudi Arabia and Syria have been prevented from travelling to Lebanon to attend a press forum, the World Association of Newspapers (WAN) said on Friday.

It said in a statement that authorities in all three countries prevented the four from taking part in the two-day event that begins on Friday 'to keep them from testifying about press freedom restrictions in their countries.'

In Tunisia, journalist Litfi Hidouri and human rights lawyer and writer Mohamed Abbou were prevented by police from boarding a plane to Beirut on Wednesday, WAN said.

Saudi blogger Fouad al-Farhan, who was due to take part in a panel discussion on blogging in the Arab world, was also stopped from boarding a flight on Wednesday, it added.

For the second consecutive year Syria prevented Mazen Darwish, head of the Syrian Centre for Media and Freedom of Expression, from attending the meeting, WAN said.

The Arab Free Press Forum is an annual event organised by WAN and the Lebanese daily An-Nahar. It draws journalists from across the Arab world to discuss challenges and opportunities facing Arab media. -- AFP