Free Speech in Lebanon
The Flag of Lebanon - Pixabay
Lebanon is one of the more free countries in the Middle East, with a constitution enshrining many of the same rights as the United States, including freedom of religion and freedom of expression. However, these rights are bound by significant restrictions in the law. Article 13 of Lebanon's constitution states:
The freedom of opinion, expression through speech and writing, the freedom of the
press, the freedom of assembly, and the freedom of association, are all guaranteed
within the scope of the law.
Restrictions include laws banning libel and defamation of public officials and foreign leaders, insulting national symbols, and insulting religion. The vague wording of these laws has been used frequently recently to suppress criticism and jokes about officials. Human rights organizations are concerned that these defamation laws are being used to intimidate activists, journalists, and entertainers into self-censorship.
A recent prominent example is of Hicham Haddad, host of the comedy show "Enough is Enough," who was charged with libel and defamation of a foreign leader for a joke about Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia. He was then further charged with insulting the judiciary for a mocking song about the state prosecutor.
Other recent cases are listed in a report by Human Rights Watch.
These cases in Lebanon show that when restrictions are placed on peaceful expression, free speech is not truly free. Criticism of public officials in open public discourse must be allowed for a functioning democracy.
Sources
https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/01/31/lebanon-pattern-prosecutions-free-speech
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/21/world/middleeast/lebanon-free-speech.html
https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Lebanon_2004.pdf?lang=en