Amnesty International condemns Lebanon’s use of French weapons to suppress peaceful demonstrations



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Reuters MOHAMED AZAKIR

Amnesty International urged Paris to suspend arms exports to Beirut unless it agrees to use them in accordance with international law, noting that Lebanese security has used French-made weapons to repress peaceful protesters.

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Lebanon .. More than 30 soldiers were injured due to protests in the city of Tripoli.

“France has for years been providing Lebanese security forces with the law enforcement equipment that they used to commit or facilitate the commission of serious human rights violations,” said Emeric Elwyn, defense officer for arms control for the branch. French Amnesty International report on Thursday.

The Crisis Evidence Laboratory and the Organization’s Digital Verification Authority are investigating the authenticity of 101 video clips of the protests that broke out in the summer of 2015, outrageous against the mismanagement of the waste crisis in the country and the demonstrations without precedents that Lebanon witnessed in October. January 17, 2019, in protest against the economic collapse and the failure of the political class in the management of affairs.

The organization spoke of a “shameful role” played by French arms. It stated that “no less than a thousand protesters were injured due to the illegal use of force by the Lebanese security forces, who often used French-made law enforcement weapons, including chemical irritants such as tear gas and kinetic projectiles such as rubber bullets “And launchers related to it.”

“The French authorities must inform the Lebanese security forces that they will not be able to resume exports unless they can demonstrate that this equipment is used in a manner consistent with international law and standards on the use of force and the right to freedom of peaceful assembly. “Elwyn said.

He added: “One way to demonstrate this is to demonstrate full responsibility for past violations and to provide adequate compensation to the victims of the violations.”

Source: AFP



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