Call to Action❗❗❗
Amnesty International has issued orders directing the French president, Emmanuel Macron to halt the supplies and transfers of security equipments to Lebanon.
“Take action now and urge President Emmanuel Macron to immediately suspend all transfers of security equipment to Lebanon from France,” Amnesty International said in a tweet.
The call to action follows report findings by amnesty which indicates that French less – lethal weapons were used in fighting protests in Lebanon between October2019 and March 2020.
Amnesty International further noted that the Lebanese security forces used a lot of impunity against protestors in Lebanon calling on France to halt supplying all law enforcement equipments likely to facilitate human rights violations in Lebanon.
“Given the impunity for patterns of abuse committed by the Lebanese security forces against protesters in Lebanon, France must immediately cease supplying all law enforcement equipment which risks being used to commit or facilitate serious human rights violations.” Amnesty said in a statement.
Since October 2019, over 1,000 protestors have been injured due to ulawful forces by Lebanese security forces who according to amnesty often used French weapons including armoured vehicles, chemical irritants, such as teargas and pepper spray, and kinetic impact projectiles and related launchers.
Amnesty International advised that France can only resume exports once there is an accountability for past abuses and adequate remedy for the victims.
“The French authorities should inform Lebanese security forces that they can only resume exports once there is full accountability for past abuses and adequate remedy for victims of abuse which in turn will demonstrate that such equipment is used in line with international law and standards on the use of force.”
A Hash tag #LebanonProtests has been created on Twitter calling for President Macron’s immediate suspension of transfers of security equipments to Lebanon and masses have been urged to take part in the call.
“Take action now and urge President Emmanuel Macron to immediately suspend all transfers of security equipment to Lebanon from France”
Background:
On 17 October 2019, mass protests broke out across Lebanon on an unprecedented scale. For months, tens of thousands of peaceful protesters assembled in cities, towns and villages across the country, expressing long-standing grievances to the government related to rising prices, high unemployment, dire public services, and rampant and systemic corruption.
Protests continued until March 2020, when fear of COVID-19 and fatigue due to the economic crisis brought them to a halt. But they resumed on 8 August, days after an explosion of 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate tore through Beirut leaving widespread destruction and over 190 dead.
Over 1,000 protestors were injured during the protests and amnesty documentaries show that the Lebanese security forces used excessive tear gas, and other less – lethal ammunitions against protestors, which were supplied by France.
