Veterinary Syndicate chief calls for release of activist Ghina Nahfawi: Protecting animals from abuse is a moral and legal duty

The head of the Veterinary Doctors Syndicate in Lebanon, Dr. Ihab Shaaban, has condemned the detention of animal rights activist Ghina Nahfawi, calling for her immediate release.

Nahfawi was arrested over a post in which she expressed her rejection of an incident involving a dog allegedly being dragged by a car, a case that was treated as defamation against a religious figure.

Shaaban said that defending an animal subjected to abuse and calling for accountability should not be treated as a crime, stressing that the case involves a documented act of violence that is morally and humanely unacceptable, and a matter of society’s right to object to cruelty against animals.

He emphasized that protecting animals from abuse is both an ethical and legal duty, and that the voices of activists in this field should be protected rather than prosecuted. 

He added that efforts should instead focus on investigating the incident and holding those responsible accountable under applicable laws.

Shaaban further said that animal welfare is a measure of societal progress, warning that attempts to intimidate activists or silence them under defamation charges set a troubling precedent, especially when criticism targets an act of violence rather than a religious or social identity.

He called for Nahfawi’s release, an end to the prosecution of those defending animals through peaceful expression, and a serious investigation into the incident, stressing that mercy is not a crime and justice begins with protecting the most vulnerable.