Lebanon: Spate of Free Speech Prosecutions

Expand Lebanese protesters wave national flags during demonstrations to demand better living conditions on October 21, 2019 in downtown Beirut. © ANWAR AMRO/AFP via Getty Images (Beirut) – A spate of prosecutions since the outbreak of nationwide protests on October 17, 2019 against activists and journalists critical of government policies and corruption is threatening free speech and opinion in Lebanon, Human Rights Watch said today. Security agencies called in at least 29 people for interrogation concerning free speech charges, including insult and defamation, between October 17, 2019 and…

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