Decree-law number 53
Issued on 5 August 1967

Subjecting the issuance and re-issuance of geographic maps to prior authorization
The President of the Lebanese Republic
In accordance with the Lebanese constitution
In accordance with the law number 45/67 issued on 5 June 1967
In accordance with the recommendation of the minister of finance and the minister of national defense
And following the consultation of the Council of State
And following the approval of the cabinet during the session convened on 26 July 1967
Decrees the following

First article
The issuance and re-issuance of geographic maps is subjected to an authorization granted beforehand from the ministry of National Defense (higher command of the Army) and this authority possesses the right to prohibit these acts for reasons causing damages to internal or external state security.
Individuals or institutions which print or publish maps or atlases for the purpose of selling them or for other purposes should seal them with a visible stamp on each copy with the term “no issuance” under penalty of confiscating them.

Second article
The sanctions stipulated in the law 42/65 issued on 24 July 1965 are applied to the violations of this decree law.

Third article
The military courts examine the committed offenses in contrast with the regulations of this decree law

Forth article
The decree number 147, issued on 10 July 1939 is considered  invalidated with the exception of the second article

Fifth article
This decree law is put into effect upon its publication in the official newspaper

Law number 42/65
Issued on 24 July 1965

Prohibiting the printing and publication of maps and atlases before acquiring an  authorization beforehand from the Army Command
The parliament ratified the following law
And the President of the Republic ordered its publication

First article
The printing of maps and atlases of Lebanese territories and its printing is subject to an authorization granted beforehand from the Army Command.

Second article
The applications which are necessary to acquire the authorization stipulated in the first article of this decree are submitted to the Army Command – Directorate of Geographic Affairs. These applications should clearly specify the following points:

1. the purpose of displaying the maps or the atlases
2. the required measurements
3. the region aimed at issuing maps and atlases
4. the documents which are intended to be used
5. the number of copies and colors
6. the terms which are intended to be adopted and the clarifications regarding the status of the map or atlases

Third article
The Army Command – Directorate of Geographic affairs grants the required authorization if the applicant undertakes the following:
A – Abstaining from showing any military information or military posts
B – Abstaining from revealing any coordinates or marks which might lead to reveal the exact locations of the military posts on the maps or the atlases
C – The applicants should submit to the Army Command – Directorate of Geographic Affairs a copy of the map or the atlas before printing it.
D – The applicants should provide the Army Command – Directorate of Geographic Affairs with ten copies of the final document without any charges

Forth article
The Army Command takes its decision regarding the application during a maximum period of two months starting the date of its submission. In case the decision was not issued during the stipulated period this means that the application was definitely considered as rejected.

Fifth article
It is forbidden to display or sell the maps or atlases stipulated in this law unless the Army Command – Directorate of Geographic Affairs has agreed on the aforementioned authorization.

Sixth article
Any individual who prints, publishes, displays, or sells maps or atlases stipulated in this law will be punished with imprisonment from one month to a maximum of one year unless he does not possess an authorization according to previous provisions.

Seventh provision
The atlases and maps which are displayed, sold, printed or published contrary to the provisions of this law are confiscated upon the beginning of the pursuits.
The confiscated maps and atlases are returned to their owners with a decision issued by the competent public prosecution if the verdict of the court showed that these maps and atlases are incompatible with the provisions of this law.

Eighth article
The military courts examines the crimes committed contrary to the provisions of this law.

Ninth article
The provisions of this law are not applied to:
A – Issuing all the maps with the measurements 1/300000 and less – 1/400000 – 1/500000 etc…
B – Issuing all the ordinary atlases which only show some inscriptions and signals and those which does not have a specific measurement

Tenth article
This law will be put into effect upon its publication in the official newspaper

Aley on 24 July 1965
Charles Helou

The Lebanese Republic
Presidency of the Council of Ministers
Memorandum number 24/2007

To all the Public administrations and public institutions with regard to prohibiting the printing and publication of maps and atlases of the Lebanese territories before acquiring an authorization beforehand from the Army Command.

The first article of the law number 24/65 issued on 24/7/1965 stipulates the following:
Printing and publishing maps and atlases of the Lebanese territories is subject to an authorization given beforehand from the Army Command.
And the second article of the law determined the means to acquire an authorization to print maps and atlases.

In view of the fact that some individuals have committed violations with regard to the issue of printing and publishing maps without an authorization given beforehand from the Army Command – Directorate of Geographic Affairs.

And since committing such violations leads to the fact that the purpose of legislating this law will not be applied and that those who commit these violations will be tried before the military courts

Therefore, all the public administrations and public institutions which publish and print maps and atlases of the Lebanese territories are appealed to abstain from printing and publishing maps and atlases of the Lebanese territories without being granted an authorization beforehand from the Army Command under penalty of legal prosecution.

Beirut on 21/11/2007
Prime Minister
Fouad el-Siniora

The Lebanese Republic
Presidency of the Council of Ministers
Memorandum number 19

prohibiting the printing, issuance and re-issuance of maps and atlases of the Lebanese territories before acquiring an authorization beforehand from the Directorate of Geographic Affairs in the ministry of National Defense.

According to the provisions of the law issued on 6 February 1962, the Directorate of Geographic Affairs handles all geographic and geodesic work and especially:

1. Aerial photographing 
2. Drawing maps with the levels of altitude and in different measurements according to the demands of the technical departments in ministries or independent agencies  on their own expense to study different projects such as irrigation, forestation, roads, electricity, amelioration, urban organization and excavating tunnels etc…
3. Supplying ministries and individuals in return for paying the legal fees for all the maps and pictures in addition to enlarging them except for the cadastral maps which are ordered from the Survey Department

And article 3 of this law decreed that the Directorate of Geographic Affairs performs all the works of the public administrations and independent departments which fall under its missions
This Directorate can commission these works to another institution if necessary according to the provisions of this law
Article 4 of the mentioned law decreed that the Directorate of Geographic Affairs can perform works to the benefit of governmental administrations or municipalities or public institutions or private institutions on the expense of the concerned parties. Article 4 also determined the method to collect the fees
On the other hand, the law number 42/65 issued on 24 July 1965 prohibited printing, publishing and selling maps and atlases before acquiring an authorization beforehand from the Directorate of Geographic Affairs. This law also determined the norms that should be adopted and the sanctions resulting from violating the provisions of this law.
The legislative decree number 53 issued on 5 August 1967 ruled to subjugate copying and recopying of geographic maps to an authorization granted beforehand from the Ministry of Defense (Army Command) under penalty of sanctions.
Since it became clear to the Ministry of National Defense that some public administrations, public institutions, municipalities, private institutions and individuals are conducting aerial photography projects and issuing geographic and topographic maps without complying with the provisions of the laws issued for this purpose
Based on these facts, all the public administrations, public institutions and municipalities are asked to comply with the aforementioned  provisions and to control the compliance of private institutions and individuals with these provisions according to their competences.

Beirut on 24/10/1980
Prime Minister