'You are not okay, prime minister': Concerned Lebanese demand Saudi authorities to #FreeSaadHariri

Concerns surround the fate of the Lebanese prime minister as social media users call for Saudi Arabia to release Hariri, who is reportedly 'under house arrest' in Riyadh.

Narrated

2 min read

The New Arab

07 Nov, 2017

Social media users questioned Hariri's health in his latest Twitter post [Twitter]

Thousands of social media users from Lebanon have voiced concerns over reports that Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri is being held against his will in Riyadh, following his unprecedented resignation from the Saudi capital.

An image tweeted by the prime minister himself triggered a flurry of comments on Sunday, with many suggesting he appeared to look physically unwell and in apparent distress.

Social media users began tweeting under the Arabic hashtag for #FreeSaadHariri after a campaign was launched on FreeSaadHariri.com.

As well as local Lebanese media, rumours of Hariri’s abduction were reiterated and carried by Hizballah chief Hassan Nasrallah during a speech addressing the resignation on Sunday, in which he described the move as Saudi imposed and questioned whether Hariri was “a free man” in Riyadh.

Hostage?

pic.twitter.com/PYbSZd4DfE

— Bassem Mroue (@bmroue) November 6, 2017

You are not fooling anyone:

Twitter Post

Translation: Prime Minister, come back to Lebanon these images are fooling no one. We are familiar with how you tweet, this is not you writing.

Twitter Post

Translation: This is not your writing, Sheikh Saad

Twitter Post

Translation: This photo is not fooling anyone. Return home then post as many images as you want.

The truly distressed:

Twitter Post

Translation: This image breaks my heart

Twitter Post

Translation: Sheikh Saad you look upset and distressed. Did someone harm you? Did someone shout at you? Tell us what they did to you in Saudi Arabia. May you return in good health.

Twitter Post

Translation: You are not okay, prime minister