A candidate running against “Hezbollah” in the May 6 Lebanese parliamentary elections was beaten by more than 30 members of the party as he was hanging campaign posters in his home village of Shaqra, near the city of Bint Jbeil.
Journalist Ali Amin was taken to hospital, where he received treatment for a broken back and other injuries and bruises.
Amin, who is running against the Shi’ite “Hezbollah” and Amal movement in the third electoral district in the South, said he was putting up the posters himself because he feared his supporters could be attacked.
The candidate said he had received several threats in the past weeks following his decision to run against the two Shi’ite parties. He insisted that this weekend’s violence would not deter him.
“Hezbollah,” however, considered the attack as “part of incidents that accompany elections in villages and towns” across Lebanon.
The party said it rejected such incidents and was against resorting to violence.
Imad Koumayha, a candidate from Amin’s list, told Asharq Al-Awsat on Sunday: “We have resorted to the judiciary.”
He added that fellow candidates on his list will not cease their pursuit of justice in the case, adding that he knows who the perpetrators are.
“If ‘Hezbollah’ is honest in its condemnation, then it should hand over the perpetrators to the judiciary,” he demanded.