Lebanese authorities have been increasing their reliance on insult and defamation laws to silence journalists, activists, and others critical of government policies and corruption, Human Rights Watch said in a report released Friday.
The 122-page report, “‘There is a Price to Pay’: The Criminalization of Peaceful Speech in Lebanon,” finds that powerful political and religious figures have increasingly used the country’s criminal insult and defamation laws against people leveling accusations of corruption and reporting on the country’s worsening economic and political situation. Convictions under these laws can lead to prison terms of up to three years. Parliament should urgently repeal the laws that criminalize speech, some of which date from Ottoman and French Mandate periods.
“Criminal defamation laws are a potent weapon for those in Lebanon who want to silence criticism and debate about pressing social and human rights issues,” said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. “At this critical juncture, Lebanese officials should safeguard, not stifle, free expression.”
Over the past year, Human Rights Watch has interviewed 42 defendants and lawyers in criminal defamation cases as well as government officials and civic leaders. Most defendants reported self-censoring after intimidating experiences resulting from defamation cases.
On October 17, 2019, thousands of people took to the streets to protest new taxes. The protests quickly evolved into widespread public anger against the entire political establishment, whom protesters blame for the country’s dire economic situation and accuse of endemic corruption. The country is experiencing a dollar shortage, with serious implications for the ability to import necessary goods, including medicine, wheat, and fuel.
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