Nadine al-Rassi accuses Lebanese government of negligence after official admits repeated accidents at site of her brother’s death

BEIRUT — Following the death of Syriac artist Georges al-Rassi in a car crash late on Saturday, Nadine al-Rassi, Georges’ sister, accused Lebanese officials of causing the death of her brother through negligence following a Lebanese official’s admission that the location of the artist’s death has caused repeated accidents.

Via her Instagram account, Nadine published several photos and videos in which she expressed her anger at the circumstances around the accident that killed her brother.

“The absence of rules for safe walking on public roads, without any lighting or warning signals, and the presence of a concrete divider in the middle of the road without warning signals, led to a violent collision which led to his death on the spot,” read one message.

Lebanese official Mahmoud Ajaj, a member of the Majdal Anjar municipality, told ET Arabic, “This incident was not the first that occurred in this area, it has happened several times.”

He explained, “The concrete barrier that Georges al-Rassi’s car collided with separates the transport vehicles from other cars, but the one who takes this road does not notice this barrier, especially since there are no lighting devices or signboards warning drivers of this barrier.”

Lebanese organization YASA For Road Safety published a video via Facebook showing a poor design of the stretch of road where the accident occurred. A concrete lane divider emerges with little warning.

The video was taken following the accident and the removal of al-Rassi’s car.

Officials have since added red road markers.