General updates

On 12 December 2025, the Lebanese Parliament unveiled the National Human Rights Plan 2026–2030, marking a significant step in the country’s human rights agenda. Presented as a national roadmap, the plan was developed through a consultative process involving the Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights, the coordination committee of the plan, civil society representatives, and international partners, ahead of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) scheduled for January 2026.

Lebanon’s UPR review took place on 19 January 2026 during the 51st session of the Universal Periodic Review Working Group in Geneva. Whereas the review provided an opportunity for Lebanon to present developments on its human rights record to UN Member States, several recommendations were directed to Lebanon on civic space, calling Lebanon to “ensure a safe, stable and enabling environment for all civil society stakeholders, including human rights defenders, lawyers and journalists, notably in the context of upcoming elections to ensure participation in public and political life for all”,  and “adopt concrete measures to protect the rights to freedom of expression and opinion, of information and of the press, including the protection of journalists and human rights defenders, in line with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights “.

Association

The civil society Universal Periodic Review (UPR) report on Lebanon, published in October 2025, documents that the Ministry of Labor continues, to date, to refuse recognition of a workers’ union formed by migrant workers in Lebanon. This refusal is based on provisions in the Lebanese Labor Law that deny foreign workers the right to elect or be elected as union representatives, effectively preventing migrant workers from exercising their right to organize.

Expression

Members of the Al-Mayadeen team, reporter Jamal Al-Ghurabi and photographer Ali Hanqir, were targeted by Israeli forces in Dhayra on December 22, 2025. Additionally, Middle East Images photographer Courtney Bono and freelance photographer Ali Ezzedine were threatened by Israeli forces in Hula while covering the border area on December 28, 2025.

In its World Report 2026, released in February 2026, Human Rights Watch highlighted Lebanon’s failure to take meaningful action to ensure Israel’s accountability for attacks on journalists during the recent conflict. In particular, no concrete measures were implemented following the directive issued on 9 October 2025 by the Cabinet and the Ministry of Justice, which had been tasked with evaluating possible legal responses to these attacks.

In the context of ongoing violations by Israel of the ceasefire, Lebanon also faces infringements on its digital sovereignty. On 27 November 2025, SMEX reported that Israel continues to violate Lebanon’s digital sovereignty one year after the ceasefire agreement, through interference with communications infrastructure, GPS signals, and mobile networks, particularly in South Lebanon. These actions, including drone surveillance, signal interception, and potential infiltration of digital platforms with political ads or spyware, severely limit Lebanese citizens’ access to secure digital information. The report also highlights the absence of robust national cybersecurity measures and data protection laws, leaving residents vulnerable and restricting their ability to safely access online information.

Similarly, the report Constant Crisis: Human Rights in Lebanon in 2025 published on 15 December 2025 by the Gulf Center for Human Rights highlights persistent insecurity, deepening economic challenges, and significant gaps in legal protection. It notes that many journalists feel inadequately protected by international mechanisms intended to support them, and that the pressures of their work have negatively affected both their physical and mental well-being. The report also points to ongoing obstacles in accessing information that should, in principle, be publicly available. At the same time, it underlines cautious optimism around a long-awaited draft media law — whose advancement was stalled by the war — which could, if adopted, help bring greater clarity and improvements to Lebanon’s media environment

On 5 November 2025, the Lebanese Ministry of Information and UNESCO Regional Office in Beirut launched a national media campaign to inform the public about the draft media law under discussion in Parliament, stressing the media law’s importance for modernizing media and promoting independence and transparency. This law was submitted to the parliamentary Administration and Justice Committee on 27 May 2025 and included “advancements in protecting freedom of expression the right to freedom of expression, including abolishing pretrial detention and prison sentences for all peaceful speech-related violations.” according to the Human Rights Watch World Report 2026. The law was then referred to the full Parliament on 16 December 2025 for consideration and final vote, after having been reviewed and amended by the Parliamentary Administration and Justice Committee.

In recent developments, two high-profile cases have drawn attention. On November 11 and 20, 2025, Megaphone’s editor-in-chief Samer Frangieh and managing director Jean Kassir were summoned following complaints over videos reporting on the renovation of a villa above the Monk Seal Cave and the exploitation of public maritime property. The case involved MP Gebran Bassil, who filed a complaint regarding the coverage of public maritime property

Meanwhile, on November 27, 2025, comedian Mario Moubarak faced legal action after releasing a satirical video, with a complaint filed by lawyer Aimée Helou accusing him of insulting the name of Christ and offending religious sanctities. In another development, General Security confiscated Moubarak’s passport and phone for 24 hours at Beirut Airport upon his return from Canada on December 5, 2025, on charges of offending religious rituals.

Peaceful Assembly

On 27 January 2026, thousands of retired military personnel, along with public sector employees, public school teachers, and tenants, protested outside Lebanon’s Parliament in Beirut against the 2026 state budget bill under review by lawmakers. Demonstrators say the budget fails to address the severe erosion of salaries and pensions caused by persistent inflation since the economic crisis began in 2019, leaving many unable to meet basic needs. Retired soldiers in northern Lebanon also blocked part of the Chekka highway with burning tires hours before the parliamentary session to demand improved retirement benefits. Protesters further criticized related issues such as stagnant wages, inadequate pension adjustments, and the commercial lease law, which tenants argue threatens their livelihoods, adding to broader discontent with economic and social policy priorities in the budget.

Tensions rose as protesters tried to breach security near the Parliament, prompting army and security forces to intervene. Clashes, including pushing and scuffles, resulted in injuries to several demonstrators, some needing medical attention, though exact figures have not been officially reported.