Human Rights Watch called on the Lebanese authorities on Wednesday to release lawyer Nabil al-Halabi who was arrested two days ago over his Facebook posts criticizing government officials.
In his Facebook posts, al-Halabi accused Interior Ministry officials of corruption and possible complicity with people arrested by Internal Security forces on March 27 in connection with sex trafficking of Syrian women.
In a statement issued by the international non-governmental organization, it stressed that “an arrest made over libel and defamation represents a violation of the freedom of expression protected by the International Law,” adding that the arrest of al-Halabi also represents a violation of the Lebanese Law.
Lebanese Internal Security Forces (ISF) stormed al-Halabi’s home in the early morning hours of May 30, breaking down his front door and arresting him. Khaled Kreydiyeh, one of al-Halabi’s lawyers, said the authorities told him that they arrested al-Halabi because he failed to appear for legal proceedings in a libel and defamation case filed against him by Maher Abou al-Khoudoud, a senior advisor to the interior minister.
On April 4, al-Halabi posted on Facebook comments denouncing corruption within the office of the Interior Ministry and referring to some employees’ complicity in an alleged sex trafficking ring. On March 27, ISF had discovered 75 women in two buildings, most of them Syrian, who had been held against their will and forced into sexual slavery.