During this year, Lebanon witnessed a sharp decline in freedom of expression. An increase in criminal trials for opinion expression, under the pretext of accusations such as “insulting and defaming” and “contempt”, in cases filed by government officials against activists who criticized governmental or religious figures practices and policies. It is highly considered that “Anti-Cybercrime Bureau” is a fervent enemy of freedom of expression.

The following are violations that were monitored by ANHRI:

Violations against journalists:

  • Usually, in publishing cases, the court of publications considers such lawsuits, yet, on the 8th of January 2018, the military court of Lebanon issued a verdict in absentia against Hanin Ghadar, a journalist and researcher in The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, to be imprisoned for 6 months on the background of a statement she gave during a lecture in Washington, in 2014, saying “the Lebanese army discriminates between Sunni terrorism and Shiite terrorism, as it tolerates the latter.” She was accused of defaming the Lebanese Army.
  • The Publication Court issued a verdict of a fine of 2 million Lira against Ibrahim Al Amin, al Akhbar newspaper’s editor-in-chief and Amal Khalil a journalist in the same newspaper, for being accused of insulting and defamation in a case filed by the president of the Republic in July, after publishing a criticizing article in the newspaper.
  • Public Investigation summoned Hani H. Nsoli, journalist, founder, and director of “Beirut Qadiati” website on 18th December 2018, and interrogated him on the background of a voice record on WhatsApp, commenting on a photo of al Hariri with a businessman. The investigation concluded with his release.
  • The Military Judiciary accused Radwan Mortada, journalist, in November 2018, of “jeopardizing state security and the military court’s reputation”, on the background of an article titled: A scandal for the judiciary and security in the crime of AIDS epidemic”. Such accusations are punishable by imprisonment and fine‏.
  • Fedaa Entabi, a journalist, is the most of all who underwent opinion trials. He was tried and investigated five times during 2018, the last was in October 2018, as he was accused of insulting, defaming and contempt, on Facebook, on the background of accusations directed to him by the foreign minister, Jubran Bassil. He was sentenced to two months imprisonment.

Risks of Posting on Facebook

Facebook is the most popular platform, despite the existence of a number of newspapers and TV channels from different political backgrounds, therefore, it is the most monitored tool, through which security forces target opinion “suspects”. Probably, Lebanon is one of the most countries that sieges Facebook users through “Anti-Cybercrime Bureau”, which can be called “The Anti-Freedom of Expression Bureau”.

The following are some examples:

  • Khaled Abshi, an activist, underwent physical assault by the military intelligence for criticizing the president and the foreign minister in July. He was obliged to sign a pledge of quitting Facebook and delete all previous posts.
  • Sharbel Khori, posted on Facebook criticizing one of the priests. Eventually, he was summoned by the Anti-Cybercrime Bureau, yet, he was released after interrogation. He also pledged not to criticize religions and delete previous posts.
  • In July, Rawan al-Khatib, an activist, was summoned for solidarity posts with Sharbel Khori. She was obliged to delete these posts when she was released.
  • Emad Bezzi, a prominent activist, was summoned by the same bureau during the same month, July, for posting on Facebook criticizing an investment company, saying that it constructs buildings on the sea shore, which is illegal.
  • Feras Bo Hatom, an activist, was summoned by the Anti-Cybercrime Bureau in August, on the background of a complaint filed against a post in which he was criticizing some NGOs concerning the parliamentary elections. He was threatened in order to stop posting on Facebook.

Censorship and Ban

  • In October, the censorship committee decided to ban two films “Talaat al-Shams” and “Climax” for scenes of drug addiction and homosexuality! This tookplace after reporting the incident to the minister of Interior Nohad al Mashnouq.
  • Another movie was banned, “al Raheba – the nun” under claims of insulting Christianity. It is worth mentioning that the movie was banned even before acquiring the minister of interior’s approval.
  • Hesham Haddad, an anchor, was referred to court for an episode of a TV program, “lahon we bas” which he presents on LBCI, under accusations of insulting the judiciary. His trial hasn’t started yet.

Persecution of Human Rights Defenders

  • For a solidarity post with Sharbel Khori, the human rights defender, Wadie al Asmar was summoned by the Anti-Cybercrime Bureau.

Violations against peaceful assembly

Suspending a Gender Conference upon a request of the  “Association of Muslim Scholars”

Lebanese security forces canceled a Gender Conference on its third day, Saturday, 29th September 2018. It is a regional conference about gender issues organized by the “Arab Institution for Freedom and Equality”. The conference was banned from continuing its program in Le Crayon Hotel.

George Qazzi, director of the institution, had already submitted all of the required documents to acquire the approval of the public security in order to hold the conference and the required visas for the participants, yet the conference was canceled, then it was approved under the condition of changing the venue.