“I was always protesting for a civil society, free of the people who have governed us into chaos over the last 50 years”
Kanon is a young woman currently living in Beirut, where she took part in various protests and demonstrations which exposed her to gruesome transgressions against her human rights – for this report, she has requested us to abstain from documenting her real identity. “I was always protesting for a civil society, free of the people who have governed us into chaos over the last 50 years,” Kanon addresses her continuous participation in numerous rallies during the Lebanese uprising despite the intertwined violence, “I saw the potential of what Lebanon could be like, the diversity and unity of its people, which is what pushed me to protest for a different reality.” The extent of her involvement throughout various demonstrations and acts of resistance went as far as taking an entire year of leave from work, as well as from education.
Kanon reports that hundreds and thousands of civilians, including herself, experienced extensive violations against their human rights. She explains, “our right to assemble and demonstrate peacefully was violated at every single protest, as well as our rights to live in security and peace, with dignity, and free from any discrimination based on our identity are inflicted every day!” She assumes that the recurring use of aggressive force by all security personnel is most likely linked to warlords’ and militias’ ruling Lebanon.
An example of inhumane acts against her can be observed through her participation in the ‘No Trust’ protest, in the heart of Lebanon’s capital on December 22, 2019. Present in the square amongst other demonstrators, Kanon was symbolically resisting the confidence vote soon to be given to Hassan Diab and his newly formed government. “We were protesting in the square with an immense line of security forces in front of us.” Kanon continues to portray how suddenly tens of internal security officers rushed at her and everyone around, thrusting and beating them with batons. “I turned and started running towards any kind of safety, everyone was attempting to escape in the direction of the Al Nahar building so I did the same.” Kanon was slammed to the ground, through the force of a baton swung at her upper back by a member of the police force. With the air sucked out of her, it took her some time to recollect herself and leave the scene of chaos. The pain inflicted on her through this vicious attack haunted her throughout the coming days.
“It was a horrible and degrading experience to be treated that way, with no regard to my rights, however the night right before that incident I experienced an even worse form of inhumane treatment”
“It was a horrible and degrading experience to be treated that way, with no regard to my rights, however the night right before that incident I experienced an even worse form of inhumane treatment”, Kanon continues to clarify what had occurred the night before the No Trust protest, she explains, “I was given stickers and signs by a pro revolution group I was active with called ‘Street’, with the intent of distributing them across different poles and walls between Ashrafieh and the Fouad Chehab Bridge area.” While making her way across the dark streets, Konan unexpectedly recognized the shape of a person seemingly following her. As the unidentified silhouette came closer to her, his uniform made it evident that he was a member of the internal security forces. Kanon was instantly targeted with an array of fear inducing tactics which included being insulted and threatened with unrightful detainment. “He was constantly yelling at me things like what do you think you are doing?! You dumb and ignorant protestors! Why were you sticking stuff on the walls?” She continues to explain the verbal and mental intimidation facing her, “he even threatened to arrest me if I made a sound or asked for help in case civilians passed us!” The police officer’s aggressive display of verbal behavior towards Kanon did not stop even after she had communicated that she had done nothing wrong or unlawful, and that she was feeling very unsafe in this particular situation with him. “When he read the anti-government messages on the stickers I had, he seemed to become even angrier. He did not respond to any of my requests to move somewhere with more light and activity of people.” She found herself in a situation that presented many potential dangers by the internal security officer; Kanon adds “I was not allowed to move freely or feel safe, which are basic rights, and the officer had even been threatening me that I would be arrested!” Intimidation techniques displayed by the police force member went as far as contacting headquarters in request of a vehicle to pick up Kanon. The violation coming from the security officer came to an end when multiple people including Kanon’s family and friends adjoined her on the road where she was being held captive. “Throughout my interrogation with the officer, I was able to quickly send a message to my family informing them of my whereabouts,” she explains how she was able to request help. Kanon never filed a formal report to anyone about her experience, but her father’s outrage at her degrading treatment led him to identify the corresponding officer and the general linked to him. She reveals how the higher ranked officer apologized on behalf of himself and the other member of the internal security force.
“all my experiences of direct infringements on my rights could not force me to renounce my fight for Lebanon.”
Kanon displays a strong belief that for her, as a queer woman, and for anyone who belongs to a disempowered community, the dangers present at protests in the Lebanese context are highly elevated. In her perspective, women and members of the LGBT community constantly have active biases placed on them, which in turn present them as easy targets to security forces. More importantly, Kanon suggests that those hazards are vastly present among protestors themselves not just security personnel; she relays that society has normalized certain types of discrimination against people based on their identities. With that and the amount of cruel aggression expressed towards her in mind, Kanon concludes that her enthusiasm to join protests has not diminished; “all my experiences of direct infringements on my rights could not force me to renounce my fight for Lebanon.”
