Lebanese Forces party leader Samir Geagea believes it is unacceptable for the authority to exploit the events in Tripoli to punish those who should not be punished, and to let "the innocent suffer with the guilty."
In a statement issued today, Geagea said, "We were among the first to call for accountability for anyone undermining security, and to punish anyone who exploited protest demonstrations due to the poor living conditions by resorting to vandalism. We have repeatedly stressed that public order is a fundamental principle and a red line that should not be compromised in order to preserve stability and prevent the country from spiraling into chaos. However, this does not mean that the authority should exploit the events in Tripoli to punish the innocent, and allow 'the good to suffer with the bad.'"
The statement continued, "Injustice is unacceptable. Anyone who thinks they can take revenge on Tripoli for being a reservoir of rebellious and uprising citizens is mistaken, and their attempts will inevitably fail." Geagea questioned, "Is it conceivable, for example, that a fifteen-year-old minor is accused of terrorism? Is it permissible to arrest everyone who was in the street without distinguishing between those who protested peacefully to express their anger and frustration, and those who resorted to vandalizing public and private property? Certainly not. What is required is the release of all innocent individuals, and punishment exclusively for those proven through investigations to have engaged in vandalism, tarnishing the image of Tripoli and the goals of the protesters."
