Welcome to our podcast episode on censorship and surveillance in Lebanon. We're diving into the complexities of how different forms of control affect freedom of expression.

Today, we're breaking down the differences between government surveillance and censorship, and societal censorship often seen as cancel culture. In Lebanon, this plays out not just in politics but also in art and theater, where artists often feel pressure to tone down their work to avoid backlash.We'll discuss how these forms of control intersect and affect individuals and society at large. So, join us as we explore the impact of censorship and surveillance in Lebanon, from government monitoring to the pressure on artists to self-censor.

Yehia Jaber is a Journalist, and Playwright. He is known for his controversial plays that shed light on important issues pertaining to civil society. 

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Home to over 1.5 million Syrian refugees (according to government estimates), Lebanon has witnessed the use of Syrian refugees as scapegoats by the political class. Recently, anti-Syrian refugee discourse has heightened in Lebanon, coupled with dangerous attempts at harming Syrian refugees in several parts of the country. In this episode, Michelle Eid and Nadine Khechen challenge common myths that are perpetuated in some Lebanese spaces against refugees and discuss the effects of international policies on refugee status in Lebanon. They  go over the series of arbitrary arrests and forced deportation of Syrian refugees during April & May of 2023, discuss the government’s role in violence against refugee communities in Lebanon, and explore EU externalization policies, which have affected Lebanon’s role as a host state, as well as the lives of many refugees who remain the country. 

Nadine Khechen is a human rights lawyer and a researcher in the MENA region. She is currently taking part in a research project focused on the interconnectedness of refugee return policies between the Global North and Global South, which she refers to in the episode. The project is funded by the Swiss Network for International Studies. 

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The economic crisis that began in Lebanon in 2019 has reshaped society in many ways, shifting people up and down the socio-economic strata. While many families in Lebanon have become dependent on relatives sending remittances from abroad, others have not, redefining the concept of the the working class, the middle class, financial comfort, and privilege.  Join Michelle Eid and Nizar Hasan in this episode on crisis, class, and ideology in Lebanon, where they discuss how the economic crisis affects ideology in different communities, bringing rise to some far-right groups such as Jnoud Al Rab. They also talk about how the crisis has pushed people to seek private solutions for public problems, creating alternative systems of support. 

Nizar Hasan is a researcher in public policy and social movements.  He is also the founder and host of Tafkeek, a youtube channel which aims to create content explaining notions and questions related to society and economics, with a focus on inequality and politics. 

This channel aims to create content explaining notions and questions related to society and economics, with a focus on inequality and politics.

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The feminist movement in the Levant has been making noise in the last decades as powerful women take the lead on many initiatives focusing on feminist and women's issues. Female and Sharika Wa Laken are just a few of these organizations empowering change. Join Stephani Moukhaiber and Hayat Mirshad in this episode on the rise of the feminist movement in the Levant where they discuss the current state all while reflecting on personal experiences and the impacts these experiences have had on their lives as Arab women living in the Levant and in the diaspora. 

Hayat Mirshad is a Lebanese feminist activist, journalist, trainer and communications and advocacy expert. Born in 1988, Hayat’s educational background included Gender in Development and Humanitarian Assistance (GDHA) Diploma from the Lebanese American University- Beirut and BA in English literature from the Lebanese University.

Unapologetic and uncompromising, Hayat’s mission is to ensure girls and women have access to justice, information, protection and human rights. She continues to spread her message through various platforms by organising nationwide marches, and rallying the masses to challenge corrupt, patriarchal regimes and demand change. She was ranked among BBC’s 100 most inspiring and influential women from around the world for 2020.

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In this episode, Stephani takes on understanding the Kafala System in Lebanon with the insight and knowledge of This is Lebanon. Together, they dive deep into the history, policies and horrific stories of what we call today, the modern-day slavery, Kafala System. 

The kafala system, also known as the sponsorship system, outlines the connection between foreign workers and their domestic sponsor, typically their employer. This arrangement has been practiced in nations belonging to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) such as Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, in addition to Jordan and Lebanon.

“In Lebanon, domestic workers are expected to execute their assigned tasks to perfection and without question. Non-compliance can easily be punished by withheld pay, termination of employment, or worse, verbal, physical, or sexual abuse. Workers will perform their assignments for an average 100-hour work week, and the notion of overtime pay is virtually nonexistent.” (Nicolas Haddad, Al Rawiya)

THIS IS LEBANON (TIL) is a federally registered non-profit in Canada run by a coalition of former migrant workers and activists demanding the protection of migrant domestic workers, and an end to labour exploitation and abuse, with the aim to effectively end government-sanctioned, modern-day slavery in Lebanon. They aim to empower domestic workers, informing them of their rights and supporting their access to justice. 

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With the increasing incitement to hatred and violence against queer community in Lebanon, we find it extremely important to share and raise awareness on the current status of LGBTQIAS2+ policies in Lebanon. And who better to speak to than Karim Nammour, Researcher, Lawyer and Podcast Host of Qanuni Break. In this episode Karim and Stephani dig a deeper dive into the following areas:

• The status the LGBTQIA+ community in Lebanon as it stands today

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From March till May the most recurring question amongst the Lebanese people was whether or not the Municipal elections were taking place. While this is not a hot topic anymore and the episode was shot back in March, we still think it’s extremely important to outline the importance of Municipalities and their systems of governance. In this episode, Cendrella and Stephani discuss:

• The structure and inner functionalities of municipalities

Cendrella Azar is a dynamic Content Producer and Media Strategist with a demonstrated history of working in the non-profit organization management industry, specializing in promoting election and human rights. Proficient in research, proposal writing, time management, teamwork, and leadership, with a keen focus on setting effective media strategies to advance these causes. Strong program and project management professional with a Bachelor's Degree in Mass Media & Communication, with a minor in Political Science from the University of Balamand. Currently pursuing a Master's degree in Digital Journalism at the Lebanese University - Faculty of Information, further deepening my understanding of digital platforms to amplify the voices of those advocating for election integrity and human rights.

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Are you Anxious in Beirut?

• The last 3 years in Lebanon (the October Revolution, Pandemic, August 4th Blast)

Anxious in Beirut (2023)

In the ever-present desire to capture, record, and understand Beirut, and by extension himself, Zakaria has been trying to give a coherent story to his city. It is through the intersectionality between the general and the personal, the public and private, the old and young, that we are able to answer: why are we anxious in Beirut?

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