Global General

Three arrested for slandering Lebanese president on Facebook

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-06-29 04:17
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BEIRUT - Lebanese Prosecutor General Saeed Mirza on Monday issued arrest warrants for three people and a search warrant for a fourth person for slandering President Michel Suleiman on the social networking site Facebook, the country's official National News Agency (NNA) reported.

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The NNA said that the three persons are Naim Hanna and Shebel Qasab, both 27, and 29-year-old Antoine Ramia.

Mirza also issued a search warrant for Ahmed Shouman.

Justice Minister Ibrahim Najjar issued a explanation on Monday saying that media freedom did not cover "libel, slander, and false accusation" against the president's reputation.

However, Change and Reform bloc MP Nabil Nicolas issued a statement on Monday calling on Suleiman to "set the university students free immediately".

He added that he was shocked by their recent arrest for "the crime of expressing opinion."

Nicola voiced hope that Suleiman would act immediately to "allow these students to return to the arms of their mothers."