Facebook in Lebanon: From Poked to Pokey

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The Los Angeles Times reports that the recent arrests of four persons in Lebanon has drawn the attention of the U.S.-based group Human Rights Watch (HRW).

According to the report, the individuals were accused of libel, defamation and insulting the president based on missives that appeared on the Facebook social networking site. An existing law requires Lebanon's general prosecutor to pursue all claims of defamation against the president or any "sister state" of Lebanon, irrespective of whether a specific plaintiff is involved.

In a press release, HRW expressed concern that the recent arrests could signal a clamping down on freedom of expression in Lebanon.