Die-In in front of the Lebanese Parliament and the UN House

Peaceful protestors surrounded by the Lebanese army

In front of Roumieh Jail, protestors fold a “Do Not Kill” Banner at 9 p.m.

"An eye for an eye and tooth for tooth leave us all toothless and blind"

Lebanese Police surround peaceful protestors during a speech in front of Roumieh

Police roadblock and checkpoint near Roumieh Jail minutes before the crime

Protestors marching down town Beirut chanting “No to Death Penalty”

“Not in our name” “War Criminals Apply Death Penalty” “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth leaves us all toothless and blind”

The x-Lebanese Prime Minister Saleem Al Hoss declined to sign the death penalty five years ago and the sentence on Remi Zaatar and Badeeh Hmadeh was frozen until later this week when the Lebanese Prime Minister Hariri signed the order of execution before taking a trip abroad. In a statement on the day before the crime, Lebanese President Emile Lahoud said “these executions are important for they come in the name of and for the sake of the Lebanese people.”

The call for protest was issued by many groups and NGOs such as the National Campaign for the Abolition of the Death Penalty, Amnesty International, Hurriyat Khassa, Helem, Movement Social, Adel W Rahmeh, Direct Line, Mirsad and Muntada Al Karama Al Insania (Forum for Huamn Dignity in the Penal Code) among many others let alone independent activists and locals. The protest started in front of the Lebanese Parliament with around 150 people according to organizers. Lebanese police and military forces closed the area immediately and turned people away even those heading to the down town area for a meal in one of its cafés and restaurants. The area was blocked in the face of journalists and media and those who made it were asked to turn off their cameras.

After an hour of protest in front of the parliament house, the protestors walked in the all-pedestrian down town area shouting “no to the death penalty” carrying black flags and banners that read “No to Capital Punishment”, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth leaves us all toothless and blind” and “Do not make the same mistake”.

Upon arrival to the police blockade where journalists gathered and argued with police for their right to cover the protest, a group of the protesters staged a die-in to highlight the horrid crime that was about to be committed.

Later that evening activists and locals drove all the way to Roumieh Jail where the Lebanese police turned many of them mid way back. Around a 100 people made to the center of “Adel W Rahmeh” (a local NGO working with prisoners), right across the jail, where the sit-in was supposed to be held. Remi Zaatar’s mom was present at the spot and was until late last night attempting to meet with her son for the last time. The jail authorities declined to give her permission under the excuse that visits were allowed during the day. Protestors later on took Remi’s mom home due to her emotional and physical state.

Police forced all protestors to clear the area and move down hill, around a km away from the jail. The protestors and after negotiations with police moved their banners, lit candles and chairs to the road side location, about a kilometer away from the crime scene. The police forces formed a roadblock and denied passage to cars and pedestrians forbidding protestors to get to the jail.

The cold weather and the harassment of the police did not affect the will of the protestors as black banners and flags were posted all over the place along lit candles and a bonfire to keep the protestors warm.

The Lebanese police did not only harass the protestors but also denied passage to the journalists and even ended up arguing and detaining a journalist fro about 10 minutes before letting him go under the pressure of his fellow journalists.

The tension was amounting with every minute closer to the crime time-zero. And as the time approached 4:30 a.m. protestors lined on the sides of the road with their banners, black flags and candles. With moments of silence and tension in the air the cars started leaving the jail and driving down the road carrying the judges, lawyers, and the death squad back home while protestors shouted “La Taktoul” (Do not Kill) over and over.

The three men were executed today morning in spite of local and international protest. Around 25 people are on death row in Lebanon with around 30 people more under appeals concerning their death row sentences.

In a chat with one of the social workers in Roumieh Jail we learned that the youngest man on death row in Lebanon (still alive in the jail) was born in 1983 and the oldest was born in 1930. The social worker said that her last encounter with Remi Zaatar was the day before where he looked faint, very stressed and spaced out.

It was learned from the jail authorities that the three men suffered diarrhea the night before and were on sedatives now.

The local protest was not the only one as the Paris-based International Federation of Human Rights expressed its deepest concern at the executions. It called on authorities to commute all death sentences and abolish the death penalty. French Foreign Ministry spokesman Herve Ladsous stated that the executions are in violation of the spirit of the Euro-med partnership that was signed in June 2002. He added that 15 European countries including Ireland, the presidency of the European Union, interfered with President Lahoud to practice his right and stop the executions, which proved this morning to be infertile.

The previous execution took place in the year 1997 under President Elias Hrawi and was broadcasted live on TV stations to the disdain of local and international groups and governments. This out came in many cases where children reacted the incident resulting in several deaths. This year’s executions were done without live coverage, yet the harshness of the action was not alleviated.

The Lebanese government this morning, Saturday the 17th of January 2004, killed Badea Hamadeh by firing squad. Badea had been convicted of killing three security officers as they raided his fiancee's home in 2002 and was believed to have links to the Islamist group Osbat al-Ansar.Judicial documents showed Hamadeh repeated his innocence before he was killed. Badea said that he had not known the men were security officers and mistook them for attackers since they were dressed in civilian clothes.The second man, Remi Zaatar, had been convicted of killing three people in an armed robbery. Remi was shot dead as well. Ahmed Mansour, pleaded for his life and begged forgiveness before being hanged. He had been convicted of killing eight colleagues and wounding five when he opened fire on the Beirut offices of a teachers' pension fund in 2002.

The families recieved the bodies this morning. Remi’s mom was denied the right to see him for the last time regardless oif her pleas and tears.

The chants “Do not kill” (La Taktoul) are still resonating in Lebanon and around the world as more people are still on death row in Lebanon and around the world … voice out your dissent.