This archive report was first published on 16 December 2019.
On December 16, 2019, unprecedented protests rocked Lebanon, demanding a complete overhaul of a political class accused of being incompetent and corrupt.
Since October 17, the country has seen widespread demonstrations, with the street movement being mostly peaceful. However, on Saturday, clashes between the demonstrators and security forces led to dozens being wounded in the most violent episode since the start of the protests.
UN special coordinator for Lebanon Jan Kubis called for the identification of instigators of violence and an investigation into the incidents as well as the use of excessive force by the security forces.
"The violence and clashes over the weekend once again showed that postponements of a political solution of the current crisis create a fertile ground for provocations and political manipulation," Kubis said.
Interior Minister Raya El Hassan has ordered a rapid and transparent enquiry into the violence, acknowledging that the security forces had made some mistakes.
Amnesty International's Diala Haidar decried the excessive use of force in response to an overwhelmingly peaceful protest, denouncing the presence of masked men in civilian clothes joining security forces in violently attacking protesters.
