ISF arrest activists in one day sweep

A Twitter hashtag was also launched to support arrested Lebanese activists #اوقفوا _اعتقال_الناشطين, which translates to "stop the arrest of activists" in English.

BEIRUT: Ever since a wave of anti-government protests gripped the country, Lebanese security forces have been arresting a number of Lebanese activists on a daily basis.Whether for helping other protesters during clashes or distributing sandwiches in the course of the uprising, a number of demonstrators have been detained or called in for questioning.Ahmad Chehade, 19 years old, was attempting to assist one of the injured protesters during intense clashes when he got detained. “I got stuck due to the tear gas and I couldn’t see clearly, and that’s when they took me into custody and kept hitting me until they broke my jaw,” he told Annahar.Another protester Lina Boulos Makari, was questioned in Tripoli for handing out meals and providing transportation services.Additionally, several members of Sabaa, a Lebanese political party, were arrested and had their phones confiscated.In light of all these arrests, Media for Freedom, a platform for journalists, issued a statement explaining that most arrests violate the constitution as well as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. “Repressing protesters affects the principle of freedom of expression. We consider that the role of the Bar Association and President Melhem Khalaf is pivotal in these times,” it stated.In order to spread awareness, Hiba Farhat, lawyer, shared with Annahar a number of legal measures that one can take if they got arrested.“Once someone is called in for questioning, he/she has the right to hire a lawyer, ask for more information on the reasons behind the arrest, and request the presence of a lawyer during questioning," she said.A Twitter hashtag was also launched to support arrested Lebanese activists #اوقفوا _اعتقال_الناشطين, which translates to "stop the arrest of activists" in English.Nationwide protests began on Oct. 17 against new taxes on WhatsApp calls. The protesters called for the downfall of the political class that has been ruling since the Civil War. A new cabinet was later formed and was also met with controversy. Related Articles Lebanon: Human Rights Watch 2020 report Lebanon on the brink of forming government, top Berri aid says

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