Earlier today, I blogged about the alleged news of Saudi authorities' decision to dress up Blackberries in tiny Smartphone burqas (turns out its a hoax!). However, more importantly, I wrote of the increasing security worries amongst Middle Eastern, North African and South-Southeast Asian countries regarding Blackberry services and other Smartphones and mentioned how Lebanon - a country that prides itself as a "haven for freedom of expression" and other human rights - has recently been condemned for numerous actions believed to be restricting freedom of expression and the free flow of information.
This is old news, but its perhaps important to be reminded of this incident.
A few weeks ago, NowLebanon! reported a man, Ahmad Shuman, was arrested in Beirut Rafik Hariri International Airport and charged with defaming Lebanese President Michel Sleiman on Facebook. This was almost a month after the arrest of Naim George Hanna, 27, Antoine Youssef Ramia, 29, and Shebel Rajeh Qasab, 27, on similar charges: defaming Sleiman on Facebook.
Man arrested at Beirut airport for defaming Sleiman on Facebook
Police arrested a man identified as Ahmad Shuman at the Beirut Rafik Hariri International Airport on Tuesday and charged him with defaming President Michel Sleiman on the social networking website Facebook, the National News Agency (NNA) reported.
Shuman had just arrived on a flight from Kiev, Ukraine and was taken to Roumieh Prison for questioning by Judge Ghassan Oweidat.
In June, Naim George Hanna, 27, Antoine Youssef Ramia, 29, and Shebel Rajeh Qasab, 27, were arrested after authorities interrogated them on charges of libel, slander and defamation against the president on Facebook.
-NOW Lebanon
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