Page 10 - ANTILL DGB

A10 WORLD NEWS
Monday 16 deceMber 2019
Thousands protest against crackdown in Lebanon

HUSSEIN MALLA of government unaffiliated
DALAL MAWAD with established political
Associated Press parties. The crowd, many
BEIRUT (AP) — Thousands raising Lebanese flags,
of Lebanese protesters de- said: “We won’t leave, We
fiantly returned Sunday to won’t leave. Just arrest all
rally outside parliament in the protesters!”
Beirut, hours after security Others raised posters say-
forces chased them out, ing the tear gas won’t keep
using tear gas and rubber them away. “We are cry-
bullets and injuring dozens. ing already,” said one, in a
The protests were largely jab at the deep economic
peaceful, but some lobbed crisis Lebanese are fac-
water bottles and fire- ing. The streets leading to
crackers at security forces parliament were filled with
guarding parliament. After men, women and even
a couple of hours, security children. Some huddled in
forces chased them away, smaller groups while oth-
using batons and tear gas ers were lifted on shoulders
to disperse the crowd. chanting in megaphones.
Saturday night into Sunday The overnight confronta-
saw one of the most violent tions in Beirut left more than
crackdowns on protesters 130 people injured, ac-
since nationwide anti-gov- cording to the Red Cross
ernment demonstrations Supporters of the Shiite Hezbollah and Amal Movement groups, both supporting the current and the Lebanese Civil De-
began two months ago, government, throw stones at riot policemen, as they try to attack anti-government protesters in fense. The Red Cross said
downtown Beirut, Lebanon, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2019.
leading to the resignation Associated Press none of the injured were in
of Prime Minister Saad Hariri serious condition and most
on Oct. 29. The harsh use non also set fire to the of- ment. Many had come pots and bins to barricade of them were treated on
of force was largely car- fices of two major political prepared with helmets themselves, drawing a front the spot.
ried out by security forces parties, the state-run Na- and tear gas. After clashes line in the street that just The violence and Sunday’s
outside of the parliament tional News Agency said. that included the firing of hours before was filled with rally came just hours before
building who reacted vio- The large crowd that was tear gas, security forces protesters. the president was due to
lently to an earlier attempt gathered Sunday largely then used water cannons Demonstrators had chant- meet with representatives
to hold a rally outside par- dispersed by the evening to empty the area around ed against the security of parliamentary blocs to
liament. but hundreds remained in parliament. The remain- crackdown and called for name a new prime minis-
Attackers in northern Leba- the streets outside parlia- ing protesters used plant an independent new head ter. q

Ex-Sudan strongman al-Bashir gets 2

years for corruption

By NADIR AHMED and corruption on Satur- also wanted by the Inter-
Associated Press day, sentencing him to two national Criminal Court on
KHARTOUM, Sudan (AP) — years in prison. charges of war crimes and
A court in Sudan convicted That’s the first verdict in a genocide linked to the Dar-
former President Omar al- series of legal proceedings fur conflict in the 2000s.
Bashir of money laundering against al-Bashir, who is The verdict came a year af-
ter Sudanese protesters first
began their revolt against
al-Bashir’s three-decade
authoritarian rule. During
that time, Sudan landed on
the U.S. list for sponsoring
terrorism, and the econo-
my has been battered by
years of mismanagement
and American sanctions.
Before the verdict was
read, supporters of al-Bashir
briefly disrupted the pro-
ceedings and were pushed
out of the courtroom by se-
curity forces.
Al-Bashir, 75, has been in
custody since April, when
In this July 9, 2018, file photo, Sudan’s President Omar al- Sudan’s military stepped
Bashir attends a ceremony for Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip in and removed him from
Erdogan, at the Presidential Palace in Ankara, Turkey. power after months of na-
Associated Press tionwide protests. q