Lebanese cleric Ahmed Al-Assir sentenced to death

A cleric has been sentenced to death in Lebanon for his role in violence between his supporters and soldiers in the city of Sidon, according to Lebanese authorities.

Ahmed Al-Assir was tried in a military tribunal along with 38 others and accused of killing a number of Lebanese soldiers in June 2013 after he was arrested in 2015.

The court also sentenced to death two defendants and five people in absentia, including Assir’s brother and popular Lebanese singer Fadel Shaker, who was given a 15-year prison sentence whilst the remaining were handed life sentences.

On 24 June 2013 18 Lebanese soldiers, 40 of Assir’s supporters and two civilians were killed. According to reports the violence was the deadliest to spill over from the war in neighbouring Syria – Assir has been vocal in his criticism of the Assad regime and his support for Hezbollah.

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In 2014 an arrest warrant was issued for his arrest on the basis of “forming an armed group with the objective of committing acts of terrorism and killing or attempting to kill Lebanese soldiers”.

After being on the run for two years he was arrested in 2015 at Beirut International Airport after he attempted to disguise himself after allegedly trying to leave the country on a fake passport.

There have been no executions carried out in Lebanon since 2004, despite a number of verdicts. Capital punishment is still legal in Lebanon and can only be approved by the president.

According to reports Lebanese President Michel Aoun does not have the political weight needed to approve the death sentence against Assir.