HRW condemns Lebanon for 'attacks on freedom of speech'

Lebanon’s continuous prosecutions of those criticising government officials is threatening the country’s freedom of speech and creating a "pattern of prosecutions", rights group Human Rights Watch warned on Wednesday.

The Lebanese government’s recent detention spree has resulted in a rise of people being rounded up for voicing criticisms of, or even joking about Lebanese and Saudi political officials.

Last week, the  the public prosecutor brought charges against a comedy show host, Hisham Haddad for poking fun at Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s weight.

During the show, Haddad said: "With all that's happening in the region, we don't want Mohammed bin Salman to eat fewer burgers. His cholesterol is not the issue - we want him to stop crackdowns, arrests and military strikes [on Yemen]." 

Haddad had also made satirical jokes about Prime Minister Saad Hariri. 

Haddad is not an isolated case. On 10 January, journalist and researcher Hanin Ghaddar was sentenced in absentia to six months in prison by the Lebanese military court for “defaming” the Lebanese army during a 2014 conference in the United States. 

Just ten days after, activist Obada Yousef was summoned by the military intelligence for questioning over Facebook posts regarding leading Lebanese politicians. He was detained by the military and police for four days, he told Human Rights Watch.

“The space for free expression in Lebanon is rapidly shrinking, as authorities continue to bring criminal charges in response to criticism of public officials,” said Lama Fakih, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. 

“This type of heavy-handed response does nothing but restrict free expression and opinion, and tarnish Lebanon’s image”, she added.

The rights group urged that Lebanon’s penal code is inherently flawed because it outlaws criticisms of public officials.

“The sheer number of these arrests and prosecutions for speech that should never have been criminalised is alarming,” Fakih said. “Lebanon’s parliament should repeal laws criminalising free speech and defamation and put an end to these prosecutions.”