A wave of international condemnation emerged following reports of excessive force used by Lebanese security forces against protesters in Beirut.
Hundreds of casualties were reported in the past two days as police and security members used rubber bullets to target protesters from a close distance, in contravention of international regulations, which stipulate that those should be launched at a minimum distance of 40 meters.
According to diplomatic reports that included identical information received in Beirut from New York, Washington, Paris, and Geneva, “the competent Lebanese authorities must pay attention to these actions that violate human rights.”
Reports noted that the authorities had so far dealt with “acceptable measures to provide protection to the crowds, but they used excessive force when demonstrators blocked roads or attacked security forces.”
A minister in the caretaker government underlined the need to inform the delegates of the member-states of the International Group to Support Lebanon of the outcome of the security meeting held at the Baabda Palace on Monday, in the presence of President Michel Aoun.
The minister said that the United Nations and the League of Arab States should also be aware of the country’s efforts to maintain security and political stability, “because these countries and organizations are closely watching protests in Beirut and the rest of the region.”
“The ambassadors of foreign and Arab countries in Lebanon should be invited to the Ministry of the Interior or to the Directorate of Internal Security Forces in order to hear an explanation of the reasons for taking new measures to deal with protest groups,” the minister noted, adding that a large number of rioters must be arrested to prevent harming peaceful demonstrators.
