Maharat Foundation
Beirut April 17th, 2012
Maharat Foundation condemns the shooting attack on the political activist Geha:
The political activist and the coordinator of the” Lebanese Sovereignty Movement” came under fire while he was driving his car on Damour highway, 20 km south of Beirut, in the evening of Saturday April 14th around 11 :30. Five bullets pierced through his car and the attackers were unknown.
In an interview with Maharat, Geha reported the details of the accident: “Saturday evening, I had a work meeting in Aramoun and while driving my car back home to Damour, a car chased me along the highway and obstructed my way at a turning point. The back door of the driver’s side opened and a masked armed man pointed his gun at me and shot five bullets, 4 of which pierced through my car.
At once, the security forces rushed to the scene and started the investigation and reported that the shooters used 9mm bullets that would explode within the body in case of hitting it.”
It is to mention that Geha is a freelance writer in many media institutions and he is the son of the late journalist Moustafa Geha who was assassinated in January 15th, 1992. Geha the father was known for his opposition to the Syrian and Iranian regimes; he has more than 25 publications among which “‘Khomeini kills Zarathustra”, “the plight of minds in Islam” and “Lebanon under the Baath”.
Geha said: “Lately, I worked on republishing two of my father’s controversial books, ‘Khomeini kills Zarathustra” and “My letter to Christians” as these books are not in the market. I also conducted a press conference last January 16th commemorating the 20th anniversary of my father’s death to shed light on his case knowing that the investigation in his assassination didn’t lead to any clue. As well, I launched along with a group of political activists the “Lebanese Sovereignty Movement” which is a political forum that includes liberal academicians and activists. Thus my role in launching this initiative and my efforts to highlight again my father’s case are the motive behind the attack”.
Geha pointed that he is preparing a judicial case to be filed in the Lebanese courts in order to reveal the attackers, the circumstances and the reasons behind the assassination attempt.
Maharat Foundation condemns the shooting attack on the activist Geha and asks the Lebanese authorities to open a serious investigation that will lead to the trial of the shooters. Maharat also incites the authorities to complete the investigation in the assassination of Geha’s father, as well as all the journalists’ assassinations that occurred in Lebanon in order to end impunity under the incapacity of the authorities to reveal the criminals behind the assassinations and the attempted assassinations of the journalists and activists.