"I do not watch what the clients are browsing. I do not set up isolation programs nor censor any website whatsoever. Sometimes, I see young people watching pornography. However, I cannot prevent my clients from browsing what they want. My task is not to educate the customers."

Ahmed Ghalibeney, a Cyber Café Manager

General Overview

Lebanon is an exceptional case among other Arab countries. It includes different religious and ethnic sects and none of these sects has a majority. Officially there are nineteen religious sects in Lebanon which deeply influences both the political and social scene in Lebanon . Complexities arising from the confessional system of politics resulted in a civil war in 1975 which included an Israeli invasion and subsequent occupation in 1982. Lebanon only started to recover from the civil war after signing the Declaration of Taif in 1990, which officially announced the end of civil war. The statistics available in 2005 record that the population of Lebanon is 3.5 million. In August 2006 Israel attacked Lebanon and set back much of the reconstruction work that had been done over the last 15 years, it also killed in excess of 1300 Lebanese and internally displaced more than 25% of the population.

Internet and Telecommunications Sector

Lebanon 's internet and telecommunications infrastructure was largely built in the early 1990s as Lebanon was rebuilt after the civil war. By 2005 Lebanon had 630,000 land phone lines, 813,000 mobile phone lines provided by "LibanCell" or "France Telecom Lebanon ", and some 550,000 internet users (1).

The Lebanese Ministry of Telecommunication supervises the telecommunication sector and allows free competition. The state only has the right to provide local and international telephone call services. All other services are provided by private companies under the supervision of Telecommunications Regulatory Authority http://www.tra.gov.lb which is affiliated to the Ministry of Telecommunications.

The law stipulates that any person may apply for the license to provide internet services. However, the audio and video internet services are still illegal according to the current laws. Recently, the Ministry of Telecommunications allowed internet companies and users to use internet satellite receivers after licensing their transitions from the cabinet of ministers (2). For more spread of the internet, the ministry signed an understanding memorandum with a private company to launch ADSL internet service in Lebanon (3). Lebanon is the only Arab country that did not use the ADSL service before 2006. Now, there are 11 licensed internet service provider companies (4).

Despite the difficulties faced by Lebanon over the past years, the Digital Economy Study Center "MADAR" rank Lebanon as 18 among Arab countries in respect of use of information technology and the internet. There is a high percentage of Lebanese with terrestrial phone lines (15.7%). The rate of expansion in internet services reached 11.8% and the rate of purchase of personal computer is nearly 7.2% (5).

The Lebanese market has witnessed many initiatives aimed at spreading information technology. For example, the late Prime Minister Rafik Hariri launched the "Computer for Every Student and Teacher" project. This aimed to provide each Lebanese student and teacher with the opportunity to get a computer with access to the internet for three years for an affordable price (6).

There are 7000 registered Lebanese websites (7). It is a relatively high number in comparison with other Arab countries, particularly given Lebanon 's small population. In addition to the ongoing increase in internet users, Lebanese blogging has become highly active in recent years. There are dozens of Lebanese blogs in Arabic, French, and English (8). These blogs cover a wide range of Lebanese life and politics. They also directly reflect the importance of using the internet in Lebanese society.

Censorship and Website Blocking

Unlike other Arab countries, Lebanon has freedom of press and publication due to the fact that this type of freedom is an important component in the stability Lebanese society. This free climate resulted in ranking Lebanon number one among other Arab countries in the report issued by Economist International Union EIU, which monitored political and civil freedom in different communities (9).

However, political assassinations of politicians and journalists threaten this advanced situation in Lebanon .

The Lebanese Constitution clearly guarantees the existence of key freedoms. Article 13 stipulates that "Freedom of expression verbally or in writing, freedom of press, freedom of assembly, and freedom to form associations are guaranteed by law". The Lebanese press law limited materials that can be censored to pornography, politics, and religion when they are a threat to national security Materials published in Israel can also be censored as Lebanon remains at war with Israel since 1948 (10)

The relatively positive stance taken towards freedom has been reflected in the government's attitude towards the internet since it first became available in Lebanon . The state imposes no rules on using and browsing the internet. Attempts to censor the web are individual attempts related to regulating the work. For example some academic libraries set up filtering programs to ensure there is a "healthy academic atmosphere", such as the American University in Beirut which prohibits access to pornographic websites (11).

Lebanon lacks internet ethics law, as well as international conventions to pursuit a certain website or hackers. However, the Internal Security Department in Beirut launched an information section dedicated to providing security protection and preventing "electronic violations". After this, the first meeting between the representatives of the ministries of Interior, Telecommunication, and Social Affairs was held in order to discuss the foundation of three committees to spread awareness and legitimate and technical censorship on the internet in Lebanon (12). Practically, thought, no website has been blocked until this moment.

So far, no rules or provisions are imposed on online publishing. However, the Taif Declaration stipulated that "all audio, video, and printed media facilities shall be committed to the principles of "liable freedom" (13). Although such principles are not clearly identified, the actual application does not offend internet users nor limit their freedom. "There is no website blocking in Lebanon , the state censor the web though," a Lebanese citizen said (14). Despite the ambiguity of this statement it is clear that it refers to the regular censorship by several political and factional groups, including the former Prime Minister, Rafik Al-Haririr.

Since Lebanon has had access to the internet there has only been one case in which the security forces have intervened. The case concerned gaylebanon.com a website which started operating in 2000. The morals police tried to pressure the manger of internet service provider Destination Company, Ziad Maghraby, to reveal the names of the owners of the website and subscribers. He was given 48 hours to meet the demands. Even though Maghraby shut down the website, he never revealed the names. Kamal Al-Batal, the executive director of Lebanese Human Rights Organization MIRSAD published the details of this incident (15). The case became more serious when Al-Batal and Maghraby were called to a military trial and were accused of defaming moral police. The appeals court in 2002 then found him innocent. This crime is punishable by sentences of between three months to three years (16).

Excluding this case, there are no other incidents of harassment against the use of the internet in Lebanon . When any problem related to any online material takes place, the judiciary is entitled to settle the dispute. For example, in 2005 Weaam Wahab; the former Minister of Environment filed a complaint to the Public Prosecutor against a Lebanese websites which posts materials defaming him personally and associates him with the assassination of Walid Jumblatt. The website accused his companions being involved in the assassination. Wahab urged the prosecutor to hold those who are responsible accountable (17). The website itself was not blocked, though.

In this same context, the legal consult of Internet Professionals Association, Walid Nasser, denied that the security forces impose any permanent internet censorship. Since for this to take place a complicated permanent censorship device is required. However, he referred to some action taken with regards to some website, statements, or pictures that should be prevented from reaching the public or is politically oriented (18).

The problems faced by internet users in Lebanon are mainly technical and related to the high costs of accessing the internet which can be up to fifty dollars per month for subscription in the poor southern areas (19). Some small internet service providers illegally supply houses with the internet connections to skip the problem of high costs (20).

Internet Cafés

Internet cafés can be seen everywhere in Lebanon , particularly in Beirut and major cities., Public demand for the internet is such that the services are now also being provided by those outside of the tradition internet café scene. , Thus for example Star Bucks now provides wireless access to the internet service in its cafés in Lebanon (21).

There are no restrictions on the use of the internet inside Lebanese internet cafés and visitors' data is not written down. Censorship which occurs in any individual internet café is only that which is imposed by the café owner (22).

The Lebanese Ministry of Interior established a department for fighting electronic crimes. The department has, suggested new legislation to oblige service providers in internet cafés to use specialized programs and devices to prevent visitors from accessing certain websites (23). Until now the decision has not been implemented.

The price of internet access ranges between one thousand and four thousand liras per hour (0.7 – 2.7 dollars) (24). The freedom enjoyed by internet cafés worries some parents who are financially unable to access the service at home. There have been calls from parents for the state to limit the internet cafés or at least to censor them (25).

On 29 December 2004, unidentified militants set a bomb in an internet café in Ain Al-Helwa camp in Sidon south Lebanon destroying the café. The media did not mention the reason behind the incident (26). A similar incident took place in Palestine ; when a cafe was bombed in October 2006 by militants who claimed that it was a place of corruption which promotes pornography.

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1-International Telecommunication Union, Arab Regional Office, Lebanon , http://www.ituarabic.org/arab_country_report.asp?arab_country_code=17 (visited on 2 April 2006 )
2-Internet Service in Lebanon , Ministry of Telecommunication, http://www.mpt.gov.lb/internet.htm (visited on 13 May 2006 )
3-Internet Service in Lebanon , Ministry of Telecommunication, http://www.mpt.gov.lb/internet.htm (visited on 13 May 2006 )
4-The full bylaw is found on this link: http://www.mpt.gov.lb/isplist.htm
5-Lebanon is ranked number six among Arab countries ..., Al-Sharq Al-Awsat newspaper, 14 Dec. 2004, issue 9513, pp. 17
6-Basema Atawy, Computer for each student and teacher project, Al-Mostaqbal newspaper, http://www.almustaqbal.com/stories.aspx?StoryID=153563 (visited on 8 October 2006)
7-International Telecommunication Union, Arab Regional Office, Lebanon , http://www.ituarabic.org/arab_country_report.asp?arab_country_code=17 (visited on 2 April 2006)
8-As an example for Lebanese blogging groups, please visit: http://lebanesebloggers.blogspot.com
9-Index Ranks Middle East freedom, BBC, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4450582.stm (visited on 3 May 2006)
10-Libraries and Intellectual Freedom, IFLA/FAIFE, http://www.ifla.org/faife/report/lebanon.htm (visited on 12 May 2006)
11-Libraries and Intellectual Freedom, IFLA/FAIFE, http://www.ifla.org/faife/report/lebanon.htm (visited on 12 May 2006)
12-Lebanon : no law for fighting information crimes, Hi magazine, http://www.himag.com/articles/art4.cfm?topicId=4&id=792 (visited on 2 May 2006)
13-Women in public life, Lebanon , Governance Management Programs in Arab Countries, http://www.pogar.org/arabic/countries/gender.asp?cid=16 (visited on 17 September 2006)
14-Abdel Aziz, a Lebanese citizen, 26 years-old, email to the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information, in response to Research questions
15-Human Rights Watch , Lebanon : Internet, Gay Rights Targeted, http://hrw.org/english/docs/2000/09/23/lebano680.htm (visited on 10 October 2006)
16-Human Rights Watch , Lebanon : Internet, Gay Rights Targeted, http://hrw.org/english/docs/2000/09/23/lebano680.htm (visited on 10 October 2006)
17-Wahab calls for trialing a website …, Al-Mostaqbal newspaper, http://www.almustaqbal.com/stories.aspx?StoryID=112645 (visited on 8 October 2006)
18-Lebanon : no law for fighting information crimes, Hi magazine, http://www.himag.com/articles/art4.cfm?topicId=4&id=792 (visited on 2 May 2006)
19-Abdel Aziz, a Lebanese citizen, 26 years-old, email to the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information, in response to Research questions
20-A violating internet café owners is fined, Al-Mostaqbal newspaper, http://www.almustaqbal.com/stories.aspx?StoryID=59111 (visited on 8 October 2006)
21-American cyber cafes in Lebanon provides wireless internet service, Al-Sharq Al-Awsat newspaper, http://www.asharqalawsat.com/details.asp?section=13&issue=9457&article=2... (visited on 10 October 2006)
22-Abdel Aziz, a Lebanese citizen, 26 years-old, email to the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information, in response to Research questions
23-Technology Committee: Protecting Sleepers against Cyber Cafes, Al-Mustaqbal newspaper, http://www.almustaqbal.com/stories.aspx?StoryID=177852 (visited on 8 October 2006)
24-Samar Al-Turk Baloutt, Lebanese children visit cyber cafes and their mothers demands censorship, Al-Sharq Al-Awsat newspaper
25-Samar Al-Turk Baloutt, Lebanese children visit cyber cafes and their mothers demands censorship, Al-Sharq Al-Awsat newspaper
26-Fathi MAhmoud, pumping an internet café in Al-Helwa camp, Al-Ahram Newspaper, 30 December 2004 , pp. 8