Lebanon's Government Is Accused Of Swarming WhatsApp To Catch Protesters

In Lebanon, cyberspace is the new battle ground between protesters and the security services that have increased measures to curb dissent, intimidating and arresting government critics for online speech.

Since October, Lebanese citizens have gathered to protest around the country, uniting across party and sectarian lines against an entrenched political oligarchy that protesters say has made fortunes mostly from government funds at the expense of the country.

The massive outpouring was sparked by a proposed tax on calls made through Internet services such as WhatsApp. The government abandoned the tax after protesters paralyzed the country, forcing banks and schools to close. Now, the authorities use WhatsApp to identify protest leaders and arrest them, activists and lawyers say.

In the first months of civil disobedience, Lebanon's mainstream media outlets — largely the state, political parties or politicians — downplayed the unrest, ignored it or suggested the protests were exploited by regional and international enemies.