At least four people were killed and hundreds more injured since the beginning of anti-government demonstrations earlier in the month in Lebanon, United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Spokesperson (OHCHR) Ravina Shamdasani said in a statement on Friday
UNITED NATIONS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 25th October, 2019) At least four people were killed and hundreds more injured since the beginning of anti-government demonstrations earlier in the month in Lebanon, United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Spokesperson (OHCHR) Ravina Shamdasani said in a statement on Friday."Between 17 and 24 October, four people were reportedly killed, and hundreds of injured people have been treated by the Lebanese Red Cross," Shamdasani said.
Shamdasani said that during the night of October 19, the UN human rights office in Lebanon documented more than 100 cases of detention and misconduct by security forces against demonstrators. According to her, most of the detainees have since been freed.
The OHCHR spokesperson also expressed concern about the dismissal of the Lebanese National news Agency General Manager allegedly for covering the unrest in the country, adding that the human rights office is currently examining other cases of dismissal of employees for participating in protests.
She said that the OHCHR continues to monitor the situation in the country and called on the government to respect people's right to peaceful assembly, as well as to restrict the use of force.
Over the past week, Beirut and other cities in Lebanon have been gripped by protests in what were initially sparked by the government's plans to raise money from a tobacco tax and internet calls, but later escalated into violent protests demanding actions to cope with the worsening economic situation, the resignation of the government and snap elections.
Earlier in the week, the Lebanese government approved a 17-point economic reform plan to meet the demonstrators' demands.
