Blog
Journalist Luna Safwan Sued By Her Alleged Harasser
Lebanese journalist Luna Safwan shared that she has been summoned by the ISF for questioning at the local police station only hours after landing in Beirut from Istanbul.
Along with nearly a dozen other women, the journalist had come forward back in 2021 to reveal the sexual harassment patterns of local director Jaafar Attar who is now suing Safwan for defamation.
In May 2021, Luna Safwan and many other women came forward about Attar on social media. In an article written earlier this year, Safwan courageously wrote about her experience. The case against Attar was the first case of sexual harassment that was filed in Lebanon. Although the court session was delayed by Attar’s lawyers for several months, it was a major step forward to encourage women to speak up about their harassment. Safwan and several others had provided screenshots and ample evidence of Attar’s abuse and misconduct.
Many women in Lebanon are left discouraged from speaking up about harassment and rape cases, especially since sexual harassment laws are futile in a country with no law enforcement.
See the case of serial harasser Marwan Habib.
As I was finishing an online panel about Lebanon – I got a call from the Lebanese ISF informing me that I’m being sued by my harasser [how Ironic is that?] and that I’m needed at the local police station to be served in person. I just landed in #Beirut literally 4 hours ago.
— Luna Safwan – (@LunaSafwan) June 8, 2022
Along with nearly a dozen other women, the journalist had come forward back in 2021 to reveal the sexual harassment patterns of local director Jaafar Attar who is now suing Safwan for defamation.
So now I probably have to attend a questioning session where an officer will ask me again about Jaafar Attar and the harassment case since my harasser is suing me for defamation. So now women are being sued for saying that they were harassed? #Lebanon
— Luna Safwan – لونا صفوان (@LunaSafwan) June 8, 2022
In May 2021, Luna Safwan and many other women came forward about Attar on social media. In an article written earlier this year, Safwan courageously wrote about her experience. The case against Attar was the first case of sexual harassment that was filed in Lebanon. Although the court session was delayed by Attar’s lawyers for several months, it was a major step forward to encourage women to speak up about their harassment. Safwan and several others had provided screenshots and ample evidence of Attar’s abuse and misconduct.
Many women in Lebanon are left discouraged from speaking up about harassment and rape cases, especially since sexual harassment laws are futile in a country with no law enforcement.
See the case of serial harasser Marwan Habib.
