The murder of Luqman Selim, a fierce Lebanese opponent of Hezbollah, in February 2021, has again come to the fore.
On Thursday, United Nations human rights experts expressed deep concern at the slow pace of the investigation into the murder of the writer and activist two years ago, urging Beirut to ensure those who killed him are brought to justice.
“full investigation”
Four independent experts said it was “the responsibility of the Lebanese authorities to fully investigate and bring to justice the perpetrators of this heinous crime,” adding that “failure to conduct a prompt and effective investigation could itself constitute a violation of the right to life,” according to AFP. .
The UN Special Rapporteurs on extrajudicial executions also expressed their outrage that those responsible for his murder have not been identified.
“a deterrent effect on civil society”
Experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council also continued in their statement that “clarifying the circumstances surrounding the killing of Lukman Salim and bringing those responsible to justice is also part of the State’s obligation to protect freedom of opinion and expression.” .”
And they added: “The culture of impunity not only inspires Slim’s killers, but will also have a chilling effect on civil society as it sends a chilling signal to other activists to self-censor.”
They also stressed that murder investigations must be “independent, impartial, prompt, thorough, efficient, credible and transparent.”
Ensure those responsible are held accountable
The experts also warned that “to date, the national authorities have shown no indication that the ongoing investigations are in line with relevant international standards”, urging the authorities to expedite the investigation and “ensure that those responsible are brought to justice without delay”.
They stressed that “Salim’s family should be able to get justice quickly, (reveal) the truth and appropriate compensation.”
killed in his car
Notably, Salim (58) was found murdered in his car on February 4, 2021, the day after his family went missing.
The body of an activist, who came from a Shia family, was found with gunshot wounds in southern Lebanon, a stronghold of the Iranian-backed Hezbollah, which Salim has been vehemently critical of.
