Statement from the movement, Citizens in a State, on the arrests in Tripoli

24 February 2021

Judge Fadi Akiki’s decision to prosecute 35 individuals, some of them are minors, who participated in the demonstrations that took place in Tripoli at the end of January and accusing them of terrorism collectively is nothing but a continuation of state fragmentation and the use of the judiciary system by the fallen political authority to defend itself and to protect what is left of its interests, and to repress any act of demonstration or objection.

It is clear that the continuous protests since the 17^th of October 2019 in Tripoli and other Lebanese cities and regions have threatened these interests, especially the interests of local political actors who have established a closed social system in the city’s poor neighborhoods, that makes it difficult for the neighborhoods’ residents to get out of this system towards a decent life.

We reiterate that dealing with the consequences rather than the real causes of these confrontations and considering what took place as a “foreign conspiracy” causes further deterioration of the social reality and security in Lebanon’s second capital leading to the destruction of the society.

Again, building a civil state inevitably fortifies the Lebanese society and secures a just judiciary system that is not affected by factional interests, but rather confronts them, and secures justice and equality for all citizens.

We in the movement, Citizens in a State, condemn this scandalous decision and see it only as a dangerous speculation affecting the whole society.