The Lebanese military court sentenced journalist Maria Maalouf to 15 years in prison for a 2021 interview with Israel's Kan News in which she said Hezbollah and Iran had "taken the state hostage." The sentence also strips her of civil rights, according to reports.
A Lebanese military court has sentenced prominent journalist Maria Maalouf to 15 years in prison and stripped her of her civil rights, according to reports. The sentence stems from a 2021 interview she gave to Israel's Kan News, in which she accused Hezbollah and Iran of having "taken the state hostage and returned it to the stone age."
Maalouf, a former leading figure in Lebanese journalism, has long been known for her sharp criticism of Hezbollah. The charges relate to contact with an Israeli entity and criticism of the state and its institutions. The case has drawn international concern over press freedom in Lebanon, where dissent against Hezbollah is frequently met with legal action by military courts.
As The Zioneer reported on Tuesday, the sentencing follows a wave of legal measures in Lebanon and the broader region aimed at silencing critics of Iran-aligned actors. The sentence also comes amid heightened tensions between Israel, Hezbollah, and Iran, with Lebanese officials recently asserting that the ceasefire framework limits Israeli freedom of action in the south.
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