During a televised speech on Tuesday, Hezbollah’s leader Hassan Nasrallah finally responded to the many accusations that his Iran-backed group is behind the murder of journalist and renowned activist Lokman Slim.
Nasrallah dismissed all the accusations of any links between his group and the assassination of Slim, claiming that Hezbollah is always blamed for any incident in its areas of influence.
“Any incident that happens in your area then you are accused until the opposite is proven? Is this something that is practiced in the whole wide world? Where else is this logic present?” Nasrallah charged.
An interesting statement from a ruling leader who has issued accusations against the embassies in Lebanon and the people of the revolution, without any proof.
Adding that, unlike in “the whole wide world,” civilians in Lebanon have been arrested, detained, and jailed until they can, and if they can, prove their innocence.
Up to this day, those who were arrested following the protests in Tripoli are still detained without official charges.
And yet, Hezbollah‘s Nasrallah went on to add: “What is happening to us violates all principles and laws. In every legal system, one is innocent until proven guilty. Except in Lebanon. When it comes to Hezbollah, we are guilty and condemned until our innocence is proven.”
Again, that hasn’t been the reality in Lebanon. Hezbollah members, in fact, have been publicly accusing and even threatening people who do not agree with their party of being guilty of treason and espionage, which are both major crimes in Lebanon.
Lokman Slim was one of their main targets of such accusations without any evidence or proof. He was a relentless anti-Hezbollah critic who was always openly threatened by Hezbollah members.
Getting assassinated in a Hezbollah-dominated territory couldn’t but eventuate the public accusations against the militant group. Slim’s family also suggested that he was murdered by the Iran-back group because of his opposing views.
Responding now by taking a victim stand, Hezbollah‘s leader accused the media and the public of campaigning against his party, claiming it “part of an organized campaign by TV stations, media outlets, people.”
Fingers have been also pointed at Hezbollah over the Beirut port explosion, another accusation Nasrallah brought up in his speech.
“Hezbollah is guilty until proven otherwise, what kind of a rule is that? Beirut port – you, Hezbollah, blew up Beirut port until the truth about the explosion is revealed,” the Hezbollah chief complained.
Nothing will agree more with the Lebanese people than having the truth and nothing but the truth about the mass-murder of the Beirut Blast, yet little is expected that the probe will be allowed to reach it.
There is also a growing dread among the people that an investigation into Lokman Slim‘s assassination will stall and wane into oblivion like the previous 12 assassinations that remain “unsolved” to date.
It is to note that Judge Sawan is set to question former minister Youssef Fenianos, a Hezbollah-ally, over the Beirut port explosion. Fenianos is currently sanctioned by the United States for having links to Hezbollah.
