What an absurd Lebanese (or rather Hezbollah)-style story!
An apparently devoted Australian physician of Lebanese origins is being sentenced in absentia to 10 years in prison (with forced labour) supposedly for collaboration with the “Zionist enemy“. According to him, as per ABC Net, “the charge of collaboration relates to his work with an NGO that helps the Palestinian healthcare system“:
Dr Rifi believed “there was a deeper motive behind the charge against him“, as “an an attempt to smear his brother’s reputation in Lebanon“.
Bambi does not know neither this physician nor his brother (she left her birth country over 31 years now). However, as a deer, she has a STRONG sense of smell (like a dog!). This story smells cancel culture “à la libanaise”, especially that the brother in question has criticized Hezbollah more than once (i.e., surrealistic Beirut port blast).
What happened following the testimony of this Former Justice Minister (brother of the Australian physician)?
Well, the Investigative Judge Fadi Sawan was removed by the Lebanese authorities (later, he was replaced by Judge Tarek Bitar).
What is happening now to the brother of this former politician who has testified (also former Head of the Internal Police Forces or La Sûreté Générale)? He is being accused of collaboration with Israel… from out of Australia.
Is this story credible? Perhaps to you…. but not to Bambi.
When you are a physician, you serve your patients and community. You sometimes help others abroad. This is what this physician did. He supported young Palestinian children get a much needed treatment. Since when facilitating access to care is a crime against humanity?
This is a worrisome development, especially that the Al Manar (Hezbollah’s media) also announces two other accusations similar to this one with sentences of 2 and 5 years respectively: https://english.almanar.com.lb/1415262
To conclude this post, is the trend of accusations going to increase now? Or will this latest drama succeed in scaring people and keeping them quiet for a while? Where are Lebanon and the world heading? Why the censorship to this extent? ENOUGH.
