Lebanon
Latest stories
Human Rights Groups Slam Lebanon for Harassing Alkarama Activist

A group of eight international and local groups urged Lebanese authorities on Wednesday to cease the harassment of human rights activist Saadeddine Shatila for his work documenting torture by security forces.

Shatila, who is a member of the international human rights group Alkarama, was summoned by Lebanon’s military intelligence to their headquarters in Beirut at 8 a.m. on July 25, said a statement released by the organizations, including Alkarama, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.

W140 Full Story
Geagea: Lebanon’s Position at U.N. Places it Outside of International Community

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea criticized on Thursday Lebanon’s decision to disassociate itself from the United Nations Security Council statement condemning the violence against protests in Syria.

He told Voice of Lebanon radio: “Something must be wrong in Lebanon when 14 out of 15 countries voted in favor of the statement, especially when these countries included Russia, Brazil China, and others of different ideologies.”

W140 Full Story
Parliament Gives Lebanon Right to Explore Maritime Resources

Parliament approved on Thursday a draft law on the delineation of Lebanon’s maritime border after introducing an amendment to article 6, two days after the cabinet’s adoption of the decree.

The adoption of the law comes amid a dispute between Lebanon and Israel over their maritime boundary. Both countries are moving to assert sovereignty over an area potentially rich in gas.

W140 Full Story
Suleiman Stresses on Dialogue, Lebanon’s International Commitments

President Michel Suleiman moved to his summer residence in Beiteddine for three weeks, while his consultations with top officials over the dialogue are ongoing, including talks with Marada leader MP Suleiman Franjieh, al-Liwaa newspaper reported on Thursday.

Wissam Baroudi, the president’s son-in-law, told the pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat that the president used his constitutional right concerning the formation of the cabinet.

W140 Full Story
Report: Turkey Seizes Iranian Arms Smuggled to Syria, Hizbullah

Turkish authorities have seized an Iranian arms shipment heading to Syria and was meant for Hizbullah, a German newspaper reported Thursday.

The Munich-based Süddeutsche Zeitung quoted diplomatic sources as saying that Turkish security forces stopped a convoy of trucks carrying a large quantity of weapons and ammunition in the south-central city of Kilis, which is adjacent to the Syrian border.

W140 Full Story
Hundreds Demonstrate in Tripoli Against Syria Crackdown

Hundreds of Islamists held a protest in the northern port city of Tripoli after the Tarawih prayers on Wednesday night to condemn Syria’s deadly crackdown on protestors calling for reform.

Islamist and Salafist groups, in addition to al-Jamaa al-Islamiyah and Hizb ut-Tahrir held the demonstration in Tripoli’s Abi Samra neighborhood in support of the Syrian people.

W140 Full Story
March 14: Lebanon’s Disavowal of U.N. Statement on Syria is ‘Disgraceful’

Lebanon’s disavowal of a U.N. Security Council statement condemning Syria's deadly attacks on civilians is “shameful,” high-ranking March 14 sources said.

The sources told An Nahar daily published Thursday that “despite the unanimity of the other 14 members of the Security Council on the statement, Lebanon’s disavowal is a shameful and disgraceful stance.”

W140 Full Story
Lebanon Disavows U.N. Statement Condemning Syria‎

Lebanon "disassociated" itself Wednesday from a U.N. Security Council statement condemning Syria's crackdown on opposition protests.

Lebanon’s envoy told a council meeting that the statement would not "help" end the Syrian crisis.

W140 Full Story
Bellemare Examining Material Handed by Hizbullah to Mirza on July 13

The office of Special Tribunal for Lebanon Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare is currently examining material hand-delivered by Hizbullah officials to Lebanon’s State Prosecutor Saeed Mirza on July 13, 2011, Bellemare’s office said in a statement Wednesday.

Hizbullah, for its part, issued a statement later on Wednesday in which it confirmed the delivery of the material to Mirza but noted that that happened at the state prosecutor’s “personal request.”

W140 Full Story
Draft Law on Demarcation of Border Distributed among MPs during Parliament Session

Parliament approved on Wednesday 25 draft laws and agreements out of 67 items during its first meeting since the new government received the vote of confidence.

The delineation of Lebanon’s maritime border was absent from the session, but a draft law on the matter was distributed among the MPs.

W140 Full Story