3 arrested over Facebook slander of Lebanon president


Lebanon arrested on Monday three people who allegedly used the social networking website Facebook to slander President Michel Sleiman, a judicial source said.

“General prosecutor Said Mirza ordered the arrest of Naim George Hanna, 27, Antoine Youssef Ramia, 29, and Shebel Rajeh Qasab, 27, after authorities interrogated them on charges of libel, slander and defamation against the president on Facebook,” the source told AFP on condition of anonymity.

Mirza also issued a warrant for the arrest of a fourth Lebanese, Ahmed Ali Shuman, on the same charges.

By law, Lebanon’s general prosecutor must take action in any case of libel, slander or defamation against the president or any “sister state” of Lebanon regardless of whether a plaintiff comes forward to press charges.

The justice ministry said the case met the requirements for a slander and defamation lawsuit, adding “media freedom in Lebanon and any civilised country reaches its limits when the content is pure slander and aims at undermining the head of state.”

“The inappropriate comments published on websites are subject to prosecution and punishment as they meet the requirements for litigation as stipulated in the media law and penal code,” the statement said.

The original Facebook posts were not accessible on Monday.AFP

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  • HAHA

    lol that means 90 percent of everyone one here is going to jail lol

  • HAHA

    lol that means 90 percent of everyone one here is going to jail lol

  • Tony A

    reeeeeeeeeeeeedickyouuuuuuuuuuuluuuuuuuuuuuuuuussssssssssssssssssssssssss

  • Tony A

    reeeeeeeeeeeeedickyouuuuuuuuuuuluuuuuuuuuuuuuuussssssssssssssssssssssssss

  • Mohamed

    We might as well immigrate and move to near by arab state. What kinda country are we becoming or even aspiring to become??

  • Mohamed

    We might as well immigrate and move to near by arab state. What kinda country are we becoming or even aspiring to become??

  • Walid Khouri

    Freedom of speech at its ZENITH!!!
    I cannot believe my ears or eyes.. Lebanon = Syria II

  • Walid Khouri

    Freedom of speech at its ZENITH!!!
    I cannot believe my ears or eyes.. Lebanon = Syria II

  • Maria

    I guess this is one of the 15 agreements signed with syria last week.

    yeeeee libon is the only democracy in the middle east.

  • Maria

    I guess this is one of the 15 agreements signed with syria last week.

    yeeeee libon is the only democracy in the middle east.

  • George Haddad N.J.

    If President Suleiman have any brains he will order the prosecutor to let these people go.
    He needs to set an example of tolerance and freedom of speech. We’re democracy on paper but nothing to prove. We’re hypocracy and demogagory and a country full of craziness and lots of outside influences. We have leaders visiting every country in the world, yet they hardly visited much of Lebanon. They need to visit the areas where are power cuts, roads with potholes and look at the poverty. Oops i better not say anything i would be arrested for insulting such holy leaders God Forbids we dare say anything. What a crazy nation we have..so many armed groups, so many pot(butt)holes and so many visits to arab and european countries and so little time to take care of our country..

  • George Haddad N.J.

    If President Suleiman have any brains he will order the prosecutor to let these people go.
    He needs to set an example of tolerance and freedom of speech. We’re democracy on paper but nothing to prove. We’re hypocracy and demogagory and a country full of craziness and lots of outside influences. We have leaders visiting every country in the world, yet they hardly visited much of Lebanon. They need to visit the areas where are power cuts, roads with potholes and look at the poverty. Oops i better not say anything i would be arrested for insulting such holy leaders God Forbids we dare say anything. What a crazy nation we have..so many armed groups, so many pot(butt)holes and so many visits to arab and european countries and so little time to take care of our country..

  • Constantin

    Unfortunately, the more I watch the President’s behavior the more I see that he is from the old school and I don’t see an open minded modern man with his own character who wants to transfer the country to the 21st century. He is a man who goes with the flow, with no vision and with no leadership. He suits very well people like Hizballah. However, I am not surprised, he is soldier and soldiers are used to take orders and execute and are not visionary people.

    I am actually fed up having military people as Presidents. Next time hopefully, we will have a president who reflects the intellectuals, the educated, the creative and the ambitious in this country, and not the “brain deads”.

  • Constantin

    Unfortunately, the more I watch the President’s behavior the more I see that he is from the old school and I don’t see an open minded modern man with his own character who wants to transfer the country to the 21st century. He is a man who goes with the flow, with no vision and with no leadership. He suits very well people like Hizballah. However, I am not surprised, he is soldier and soldiers are used to take orders and execute and are not visionary people.

    I am actually fed up having military people as Presidents. Next time hopefully, we will have a president who reflects the intellectuals, the educated, the creative and the ambitious in this country, and not the “brain deads”.

  • Walid Khouri

    You are gonna be arrested! lol

  • Walid Khouri

    You are gonna be arrested! lol

  • Tony Gedeon

    In the US of A, we enjoy the freedom of speech…protected by the law..We can criticize the President at any occasion, any time, anywhere..

    The same goes In Lebanon, we too enjoy the freedom of speech…we too can criticize the President of the US of A anytime anywhere..

    Keep smiling !!!!Shin up Kids..

    Aloha..!!

  • Tony Gedeon

    In the US of A, we enjoy the freedom of speech…protected by the law..We can criticize the President at any occasion, any time, anywhere..

    The same goes In Lebanon, we too enjoy the freedom of speech…we too can criticize the President of the US of A anytime anywhere..

    Keep smiling !!!!Shin up Kids..

    Aloha..!!

  • Leb-Syrian

    lol ya haram ya tony, you always get bad ratings for silly things man haha

  • Leb-Syrian

    lol ya haram ya tony, you always get bad ratings for silly things man haha

  • Tony A

    lol leb-syrian i was just laughing at that actually. i write ridiculous which is pretty much what everybodly else is saying and i get a -4.

    absolutely funnt that someone or a few people have a big erection for me.

    i suggest you guys shakes it off and get over whatever’s bugging you about me.

    thanks leb-syrian for your support bro.

  • Tony A

    lol leb-syrian i was just laughing at that actually. i write ridiculous which is pretty much what everybodly else is saying and i get a -4.

    absolutely funnt that someone or a few people have a big erection for me.

    i suggest you guys shakes it off and get over whatever’s bugging you about me.

    thanks leb-syrian for your support bro.

  • TABET

    Walid I have taken it very personally that you have sensored my posts so much so that I have contacted my cousin very high up in the Internal security division and told him you guys are all advocating the slander of our president and blocking anyone who is defending the presidents name (as per your posts). Goodluck, Wish you all well guys!

  • TABET

    Walid I have taken it very personally that you have sensored my posts so much so that I have contacted my cousin very high up in the Internal security division and told him you guys are all advocating the slander of our president and blocking anyone who is defending the presidents name (as per your posts). Goodluck, Wish you all well guys!

  • maan

    i agree its a shame to have this happen in our beloved libnan

  • maan

    i agree its a shame to have this happen in our beloved libnan

  • Walid Khouri

    OK Tabet or Maan or whatever your name is. NOW YOU ASKED FOR IT!!!
    As I said, I have no jurisdiction over this site. I only post and I am neither a moderator (please anyone responsible for this site tell him so) nor am I an owner.
    As to you contacting your cousin or even the President, you can call 1.800.I.DONT.CARE.
    You are crossing the line BIG time. I never go to Lebanon and will never step foot in a country where its leaders act as whores to nearby or far away nations. GO TELL THEM I SAID SO. Also tell them NO SONS NOR DAUGHTERS of Lebanon will be subdued to tyranny nor to censorship. Like in the 300 movie, and as king Leonidas says to the Persian emissary: THIS IS SPARTA, I say to you: THIS IS LEBANON. WE ARE BORN FREE AND WILL DIE FREE. Unlike the likes of you who have a shaft up their ass and says give me more like a whore.
    AAL cousin in the Internal Security division AAL eh ayre fiik wu fii…

  • Walid Khouri

    OK Tabet or Maan or whatever your name is. NOW YOU ASKED FOR IT!!!
    As I said, I have no jurisdiction over this site. I only post and I am neither a moderator (please anyone responsible for this site tell him so) nor am I an owner.
    As to you contacting your cousin or even the President, you can call 1.800.I.DONT.CARE.
    You are crossing the line BIG time. I never go to Lebanon and will never step foot in a country where its leaders act as whores to nearby or far away nations. GO TELL THEM I SAID SO. Also tell them NO SONS NOR DAUGHTERS of Lebanon will be subdued to tyranny nor to censorship. Like in the 300 movie, and as king Leonidas says to the Persian emissary: THIS IS SPARTA, I say to you: THIS IS LEBANON. WE ARE BORN FREE AND WILL DIE FREE. Unlike the likes of you who have a shaft up their ass and says give me more like a whore.
    AAL cousin in the Internal Security division AAL eh ayre fiik wu fii…

  • Walid Khouri

    OH I forgot!
    and if you’re a man, why go to your cousin? Can’t you fight your own war? I am willing to meet you mano y mano one to one anywhere anytime!
    Be forewarned though I weigh 275 pounds and full of muscles. :P
    I am sure you are a small shrimp like those persian dogs you cheer. LOL

  • Walid Khouri

    OH I forgot!
    and if you’re a man, why go to your cousin? Can’t you fight your own war? I am willing to meet you mano y mano one to one anywhere anytime!
    Be forewarned though I weigh 275 pounds and full of muscles. :P
    I am sure you are a small shrimp like those persian dogs you cheer. LOL

  • TABET

    wow too much testosterone flying around this page :)

  • TABET

    wow too much testosterone flying around this page :)

  • Michael

    I think the justice in lebanon should liberate these 3 men because their detention violate the constitution which protect the freedom of speech (do we have this clausule in our constituion???) anyway this is shame! This is the reincarnation of the the syrian regime in lebanon. Why dont we see any manifestation to support these people. We are famous for organizing manifestation to support fanatic going to war but we dont have any manifestation supporting the freedom in lebanon. This president should be prosecuted and removed even though this may sound like a dream in this medieval region of the world. Mr president you are no more than ordinary person. If you want to be cherished like a god go to syria or to iran (like the supreme idiot of iran) or even better go to hell!

  • Michael

    I think the justice in lebanon should liberate these 3 men because their detention violate the constitution which protect the freedom of speech (do we have this clausule in our constituion???) anyway this is shame! This is the reincarnation of the the syrian regime in lebanon. Why dont we see any manifestation to support these people. We are famous for organizing manifestation to support fanatic going to war but we dont have any manifestation supporting the freedom in lebanon. This president should be prosecuted and removed even though this may sound like a dream in this medieval region of the world. Mr president you are no more than ordinary person. If you want to be cherished like a god go to syria or to iran (like the supreme idiot of iran) or even better go to hell!

  • Walid Khouri

    My son’s name is Michael and I am getting to like ALL Michaels :D

  • Walid Khouri

    My son’s name is Michael and I am getting to like ALL Michaels :D

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