Assyrian Democratic Movement in Scandinavia denounces judicial investigation into Universal Syriac Union Party President Ibrahim Mrad

STOCKHOLM — The Assyrian Democratic Movement (ADM) in Scandinavia condemned the investigation by the Lebanese judiciary into President of the Universal Syriac Union Party (USUP) Ibrahim Mrad following public statements he made about the poor treatment of Christians in Lebanon. 

The condemnation came in a written statement sent by ADM’s Scandinavia branch to the Bethnahrin National Council (Mawtbo Umthoyo d’Bethnahrin, MUB) and the European Syriac Union (ESU) last week. ADM stated that Mrad’s referral to the Lebanese Public Prosecution Office is a regrettable, but inevitable, result of the dominance by certain actors and parties over the judicial and political decision-making in Lebanon. It added that such politically motivated practices are negative and detrimental to freedom of speech and expression and contrary to the democratic and human values that have positively characterized Lebanon over the centuries.

ADM Scandinavia condemned the deliberate steps to intimidate and silence free voices, like Mrad’s. In its statement, it expresses solidarity with every party, civic, and human rights organization that stands up for the right of Ibrahim Mrad to speak openly.

The Assyrian Democratic Movement is an Iraq-based political party led by Yonadam Kanna who was previously a member of the Iraqi parliament. The party still has one seat in the parliament of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI).