Megaphone X SMEX On Online Free Speech Violations

2019 and 2018 witnessed alarming developments in the use of archaic media laws to arrest, interrogate and prosecute people over social media posts in Lebanon. According to digital rights group Social Media Exchange , the number of cases brought over online posts more than quadrupled between 2017 and 2018. We're talking about 6 cases in 2016, vs 9 in 2017, 41 in 2018 and 27 so far in 2019. What is needed is a new…

2019 Budget Approved (In July): Customs Fee of 3% Approved on Imported Goods

The long-awaited so-called austerity budget was finally passed today in parliament following a tense voting session, and as expected it failed to tackle structural problems of the economy or target corruption. Instead, they simply cut expenses in the public sector and raised taxes and fees, including a 3% customs fees on imported goods subject to VAT, which means more inflated prices and a weaker purchasing power. One lawmaker who voted in favor of the budget…
Critiques

Why Your Electricity Bills Are Doubling in the Summer

6 years ago
Last week, a couple of friends were complaining that their electricity bills have doubled recently even though they were on vacation and didn’t stay home much. The first thing I told them was that electricity ...
Critiques

Racism at Beirut Swimming Pool Getting Worse

6 years ago
Sporting Club has gone up a notch in imposing racist laws against foreign helpers by forcing their employers to dress them in a specific way, otherwise they will be kicked out without a refund. The ...
Critiques

Whoever Leaked Patrick Moubarak’s Voice Note Should be Arrested

6 years ago
I had no idea who Patrick Moubarak was till few days ago, after a recording spread on social media in which he allegedly threatened Lebanese President Michel Aoun and Hezbollah leader. He is also heard ...
Critiques

The Real Problem is Not Who Started Shooting in Qabrshmoun

6 years ago
State Minister for Refugee Affairs Saleh al-Gharib convoy’s was passing by the village of Qabrshmoun when gunmen opened fire killing two bodyguards. The attack came after PSP supporters closed down roads to prevent Foreign Minister ...
Critiques

125 Lebanese Workers To Return Tomorrow from Kazakhstan

6 years ago
A special MEA flight was sent earlier today to Kazakhstan to get the Lebanese implicated in the brawl that took place at CCC. It all started when a Lebanese engineer published an indecent (if we ...
Critiques

14-year Old Student Shot Himself After Failing Brevet Exam

6 years ago
14-year old Abbas Hussein Yazbeck tried to commit suicide earlier today after failing his Brevet exam. Abbas shot himself in the head and was rushed to the hospital where he’s still under intensive care. The ...
Critiques

Hadath Municipality’s Only-Christian Policy is Short-Sighted & Inefficient

6 years ago
The Hadath Municipality Christians-only policy is not recent. In fact, it’s nine years old and I’m surprised Mohammad Awwad, the 27-year old journalist who brought this issue back to the spotlight, didn’t know about this ...
Critiques

Racist Campaigns Will Not Solve Illegal Foreign Workers Crisis

6 years ago
Whenever I write about the Syrian refugees crisis in Lebanon, I can’t help but re-read two and three year-old posts about the same issue, and realize that not only things are getting worse, but the ...
OlderNewer