Lebanese Journalist Sentenced to 15 Years Says, 'Israel Is No Longer an Enemy'

Maria Maalouf, the Lebanese journalist who was sentenced in her country to 15 years in prison over an interview with Kan News in 2021, spoke today, Thursday, about the case for the first time. In addition to the sentence, the military court that tried her in absentia stripped her of her civil rights. Maalouf, a Christian who had often sharply criticized Hezbollah, left Beirut nine years ago after receiving threats from the terrorist organization. "They framed me with a fake case, claiming I was an Israeli collaborator, just because I tweeted on Twitter," she said in another interview with Kan News after the verdict. "Honestly, I was not surprised. For years I criticized Hezbollah's control and exposed the dangers of turning Lebanon into an extension of Iran's regional policy," she added after the verdict. According to her, "What is surprising is not the trial itself, but what it says about freedom of speech and expression in Lebanon today. I was tried because of media appearances and political views, are you kidding me? I was not accused of violence, corruption, espionage, or causing harm to any Lebanese citizen." She added that "my supposed 'crime' was speaking openly on a television channel, the 'Kan' television channel, the first Israeli channel, and exercising my right as a journalist. What happened is not only about Maria Maalouf, but about whether Lebanon wants to remain a country where people are allowed to think, speak and debate freely. A country that bans opinions ultimately loses its ability to correct itself." Lebanon still has the boycott law against Israel, which treats any contact with the country as collaboration with the enemy. It appears that those who benefit from this law are supporters of Hezbollah, which uses its hold on state institutions to settle accounts with its critics. "My message is that Lebanon will not be able to recover as long as it punishes journalists and suppresses freedom of expression. A strong country is built through justice, transparency and respect for different political views," she said. Maalouf emphasized at the end of the interview that "Israel is no longer an enemy of Lebanon. We must believe in peace, and Lebanon deserves institutions that protect freedom and good relations with our neighbors. History always proves that repression weakens nations, not strengthens them."