Bethnahrin National Council releases public statement following the questioning of Syriac Union Party President Ibrahim Mrad by Lebanese authorities

Lebanon is going through a difficult and fateful stage, during which the Lebanese people, from all ethnic groups, strive to achieve freedom, democracy, and salvation. These popular movements and political opposition collide with Hezbollah, which controls all corners of the Lebanese state and prevents any democratic change due to its repressive policy to maintain control over the country.

Therefore, the future of the Lebanese people has fallen into the hands of Hezbollah, which does not hesitate to silence its opponents in various ways. Hezbollah also works to ensnare members of the clergy of the Orthodox Church to serve its interests by pressuring them to write statements against their own people, including politicians, especially President of the Universal Syriac Union Party (USUP) Ibrahim Mrad.

It has become known to everyone that some members of the clergy are used in the service of dictatorial forces, based on the saying of one of the patriarchs, “We serve those whom we fear.”

This reveals they serve and work for such forces that want to eliminate the rights of our people.

Hezbollah is also working to politicize the institutions of the Lebanese state to serve its internal and external agendas, which have recently been harnessed against USUP President Ibrahim Mrad, who has recently been pursued by security and judicial apparatus due to pressure from Hezbollah in a desperate attempt to break Mrad’s will and dissuade him from his national stances.

Mrad’s resounding voice has always expressed the voice of all Lebanese people seeking salvation from Hezbollah’s dominance, as well as democracy and prosperity for Lebanon with all its national and religious groups.

We, the Bethnahrin National Council (Mawtbo Umthoyo D’Bethnahrin, MUB), support achieving justice and freedom for Lebanon, ending the de facto control of the Lebanese state by force, and restoring democracy to Lebanon, which was a model in the Middle East in terms of freedoms and pluralistic coexistence.

The MUB strongly condemns Hezbollah’s methods of intimidating its opponents and imposing policies and agendas that do not serve the interests of Lebanon nor the Lebanese people.

The MUB rejects the pressures that Mrad is being subjected to by the politicized judiciary, which has so far failed to investigate the Beirut port explosion that killed hundreds of Lebanese people, while the judiciary seeks today to be a new tool in the hands of Hezbollah to suppress its opponents.

The MUB calls on all free Lebanese people to stand united in the face of these methods, and to continue their struggle to gain their freedom and restore their rights and dignity.

Bethnahrin National Council

Presidential Committee

17/01/2023