In 2022, Seeds launched the study legal titled “How Can We Limit the Legal Restrictions on Freedom of Expression and Protect It?” It highlights repressive laws, or laws used to suppress freedom of expression, which constitute a Trojan Horse for the authority to evade accountability, punishment, and prevent any liability for corruption on the pretext of denigrating the president, insult or defamation of the leader, contempt of sacred values, or blasphemy towards the clergy. It also suggests repealing the penal sanctions of these laws, with a detailed interpretation of the importance of this proposal, and comparing Lebanese laws with other countries’ laws such as France, Sweden, Norway, the United States of America and the United Kingdom. The emphasis relies on Lebanon’s commitment to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and international instruments in its Constitution, and its ratification of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which guarantees freedom of opinion and expression. The study also tackled the importance of freedom of expression in combating corruption and promoting democracy.
Production date: July 2022
