THE CANADIAN LEBANESE HUMAN
RIGHTS FEDERATION (CLHRF)
E.Mail clhrf@yahoo.com
Web site http://www.clhrf.com
Phone  & Fax # (905) 272-9389

19/6/2003

Dr. Adonis Akra, a new victim for freedom of speech in occupied Lebanon

The CLHRF  strongly condemns the human rights infringements, the Lebanese authorities is inflicting on Dr. Adonis Akra through its biased and politicized judiciary. Dr Akra who is a well known patriot, writer, and university professor wrote last year a book in which he documented authentically his fifteen days painful experience that he had spent in arbitrary detention. The title of his book  "When my name became number 16.".

The book was seized by the Lebanese authorities in February 2002. Dr. Akra and his publisher, Dr. Bashir Daouk, are to appear in court today, charged with "attacking the Lebanese political power, its security services and justice, as well as the relations of Lebanon with a brotherly country (Syria).

Dr. Akra did not break any law in the content of any sentence that he wrote in his book. All what he wrote was the truth, and nothing but the truth. He expressed freely his opinion that is actually protected by all international charters of human rights. He witnessed for the truth and genuinely documents what he and his patriot colleagues went through during their arbitrary detention.

The CLHRF calls on the Lebanese authorities to immediately stop harassing Dr. Akra and to elevate the ban on his confiscated book. Lebanon has been an oasis for freedom of speech and conscience all through its deeply rooted history. It shall by God's will and its patriots' hard work and peaceful struggle remain so.

Spokesman for the CLHRF
Elias Bejjani