Syriac Maronite MP Samy Gemayel files legal complaint against Shiite Sheikh Faisal Shukr

BEIRUT — Lebanese MP and head of the Kataeb Party Samy Gemayel has filed a legal complaint against Shiite cleric Faisal Shukr, who is the the deputy chief for the Bekaa region of the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia. The complaint follows a speech by Shukr on July 6 during an Ashura commemoration, in which he threatened any official calling for the disarmament of Hezbollah, stating: 

“To those repeating the phrase ‘disarmament’ inside the country, we have two words for you: ‘We will rip out your souls.’ Everything is open for discussion and dialogue—except for the weapons.” And; 

“To your Zionist allies, to your American allies, to some of your Arab rulers: tell the Zionists to leave Palestine, then we might consider handing over our weapons.” 

Gemayel submitted the legal complaint through his lawyer, Bashir Mourad, to the Public Prosecutor at the Court of Cassation. The legal complaint also targets anyone identified by the investigation as perpetrators, accomplices, inciters, or participants, as well as anyone who threatens to kill, incites violence, or stirs sectarian and confessional tensions, in addition to those who jeopardize the security, sovereignty, unity, and borders of the state. 

According to the complaint, Shukr’s statements “go beyond the bounds of freedom of expression.” A video recording of the speech was submitted as evidence, along with a detailed list of relevant articles from the Penal Code, including Articles 574, 575 (criminal threats), 317 (sectarian incitement), 308 (civil war provocation), 329, 217, and 218, which pertain to threats, incitement to violence, and provoking sectarian tensions. 

According to the press statement by the Kataeb party, the complaint claims that Shakar’s speech amounts to “a call for civil war and renewed armament,” in violation of Lebanon’s fragile peace and legal frameworks. Moreover, calling Lebanese political opponents “Zionist allies” or “traitors” amounts to targeting them for violence and delegitimizing their citizenship. 

والحل باللبننة والعلمنة واللامركزية الإدارية والطائف والرسالة والتعايش والتأكيد على عروبة لبنان وحق الشعب الفلسطيني pic.twitter.com/W7Ep4bkzhC

— ܬܐܘܕܪܘܣ ܒܪܝܘܠܝܘܣ ܐܠܟܣܢܕܪ Amine Bar-Julius Iskandar (@Amineiskandar2) July 11, 2025