George Abdallah’s release postponed, family warns of escalation

Demonstrators protesting the delay in the release of the George Ibrahim Abdallah staged a sit-in on Monday outside the French embassy in Lebanon and closed the road.    

Shortly after that, demonstrators reopened the road and set tents on its sides.

In this context, ISF and LAF members intensified their presence across the embassy.                                   

For his part the Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati asked France to expedite the release of George Ibrahim Abdallah and consequently contacted the French Ambassador to Lebanon Patrice Paoli in this regard.                     

Mikati reportedly criticized the delay in the release of Abdallah, describing it as unjustified, and a "violation of civil rights".                             

Sources told LBCI that the Foreign Affairs Minister Adnan Mansour will hold a meeting with the French Ambassador to Lebanon on Tuesday to discuss with him the aforementioned file.                                  

Last week, the French Judiciary issued a decision to release the Lebanese detainee in France George Ibrahim Abdallah, but the French Interior Minister has not yet signed his release papers.                    

In this context, a session was scheduled for the 28th of January to reconsider the decision.                                               

In the first reaction to such news, George Abdallah’s brother Joseph Abdallah said that the family was surprised by the deferment of his brother's deportation, warning that they may have recourse to escalatory steps in case Abdallah is not released.                              

He explained that they will stage sit-ins outside the French embassy, and near the Presidential Palace and Grand Serail.                

As for the Union of Lebanese Democratic Youth, it issued a statement whereby it declared that “this is the battle of freedom and dignity”, stressing that they will be "up to the challenge".                                 

Abdullah was jailed 28 years ago for alleged attacks on U.S. and Israeli diplomats in France.                                                 

The General prosecution has previously appealed the decision of his release.                            

Abdallah had been in prison for over 28 years, even though French law limits the maximum sentence of any prisoner to 18.                            

He was accused of engaging in commando operations carried out by the Lebanese Armed Revolutionary Factions; the court was not able to present concrete evidence against him in this regard so far.                 

He was arrested in 1984 and sentenced to life in prison three years later for his alleged involvement in the 1982 murders of U.S. military attache Charles Robert Ray and Israeli diplomat Yacov Barsimantov.