The Permanent Military Court, headed by Brigadier General Munir Shehadeh, concluded the trial of the activists, Engineer Rabie Labaki and the journalist Sarah Hammoud, who were accused of vigorously resisting security personnel during the “Tripoli Revolutionaries” demonstration of solidarity.

The trial coincided with a stand by activists in front of the military court in solidarity with Labaki and Hammoud, during which they called for “an end to the intimidation of the revolutionaries by summoning them sometimes to the military court and sometimes to the military and security barracks to pressure them and dissuade them from proceeding with their actions.”

After the session ended, Labaki and Hammoud’s defense attorney, Wael Hammam, indicated that “his clients spoke before the court about what happened with them, and the practices they were exposed to at a security checkpoint for more than 40 minutes, without knowing the reasons that led to their arrest at the checkpoint.” He said, “We asked the court to take into account that the military uniform does not allow breaking the law, but rather is a responsibility.”

He added, “We confirmed before the court that the revolutionaries did not attack anyone and did not violate the law, and all they are demanding is that some security personnel respect them while carrying out their duties.”

Hammam announced that, with his pleading, he asked the court to “declare Rabie and Sarah innocent, and, by extension, grant them the broadest mitigating reasons.”

NNA