Through discussions with Lebanese citizens about the space for free speech in the country, we have found that many Lebanese say they take solace in the belief that despite the government’s failure to provide even the most basic services, they at least are free to say, write, and joke about their predicaments, and criticize those they think are responsible. Then-Justice Minister Salim Jreissati said in a February 2018 interview, “We are proud that in this murky, desert region that surrounds us when it comes to freedoms, we are a country of freedoms par excellence.” But many Lebanese citizens would be surprised to discover that they could not only be sued, but could be sent to jail for up to three years for a Facebook comment. Although Lebanon’s constitution guarantees freedom of expression “within the limits established by law,” the Lebanese penal code criminalizes defamation against public officials and authorizes imprisonment
