A list of names and photos of a number of Lebanese figures and activists critical of Hezbollah began circulating on social media after the assassination of writer and political activist Lokman Slim last week.
The list of the figures, dubbed as “Shiites of the embassy” in reference to the US mission, resurfaced after accusations against Hezbollah of killing Slim.
Observers believe the campaign against Hezbollah’s critics began after receiving the “green light” from al-Manar channel, which attacked the Lebanese MTV station and anyone who condemns the party in its newscast.
Earlier, MTV’s Dima Sadek directly accused Hezbollah of assassinating Slim during the recent episode of her show Honest Talk (Hake Sadek).
A social media campaign was soon launched under the hashtag “sleazy media follow the embassy’s order” referring to the US embassy.
The list included media professionals, university professors, and political activists, including Makram Rabah, Mona Fayyad, Marcel Ghanem, Dima Sadek, Diana Moukalled, Ali al-Amin, Nadim Koteich, Jerry Maher, Rami al-Amin, and Luna Safwan.
The campaign was seen as a direct threat to the figures, many of whom refused to comment given the “critical stage” in the country.
Koteich posted the list along with a tweet stating that Hezbollah Sec-Gen Hassan Nasrallah was bought with $1,300, the monthly salary which the party chief had previously announced he receives.
Koteich also said that Hezbollah’s missiles, salaries, and supplies are from Iran, saying Nasrallah the “embassy’s agent is one to speak."
Journalist al-Amin said the recent developments were part of a campaign targeting those expressing a stance against the authority.
Amin told Asharq Al-Awsat that since Slim’s assassination, Lebanon has entered a new security phrase, predicted by a number of analysts.
The journalist noted that security services should take this campaign seriously and take necessary measures to protect them.
However, “we have lost confidence in those apparatuses and expect more threats, intimidations, and smear campaigns.”
Asked whether the figures are planning to take any action in response, Amin asserted that they are not an organized party, rather, people expressing their opinions.
“Unfortunately, we are in a country where it is difficult to find a safe place that the murderers cannot reach.”
Meanwhile, the Executive Director of Maharat Foundation, Roula Mikhael, reported that hate speech, especially by “electronic armies” is active in Lebanon and can no longer be considered freedom of expression.
Mikhael told Asharq Al-Awsat that there is no limit for the accusations of treason, which could lead to a specific action towards the target group, and in the context of which falls the recent assassination of Slim.
She asserted that the electronic armies and the campaigns they carry out cannot be separated or operate separately from the affiliated party.
Lebanon has entered a new stage after the assassination of Slim and the subsequent tension and organized campaigns.
“We are facing a critical stage open to all possibilities,” according to Mikhael.
