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Social media comedian Toufic Braidi says General Security has returned his confiscated passport

Social media comedian Toufic Braidi says General Security has returned his confiscated passport

Influencer and comedian Toufic Braidi posted a photo of himself holding his returned passport yesterday. (Credit: @toufiluk/Twitter)

BEIRUT — Social media influencer and comedian Toufic Braidi posted on his Instagram and Twitter that General Security returned his passport to him on Wednesday after confiscating it at Beirut airport upon his arrival to Lebanon on Sunday.

Here’s what we know:

    • On Wednesday night Braidi explained in videos published on his Instagram account that he was “not investigated nor detained” by General Security that day but rather questioned.

    • Braidi said in a video posted Tuesday that he had his passport taken away for “insulting the presidency.” He added Wednesday night that General Security informed him that the allegation was related to a video he had circulated last May joking about the limited number of countries Lebanese passport holders can access without a visa.

    • According to the comedian, General Security said that although his video made fun of the Lebanese passport, it insulted the presidency because the passport includes “the president’s stamp.”

    • Mohamad Najem, executive director of SMEX, an NGO that works to advance digital rights, posted a photo with Braidi, whose social media handle is @toufiluk, before his session Wednesday with General Security. Najem later tweeted, “It seems that General Security invented new legal texts, adding insulting the passport to Lebanese laws. This is the same institution whose director is wanted by the judiciary.” 

BEIRUT — Social media influencer and comedian Toufic Braidi posted on his Instagram and Twitter that General Security returned his passport to him on Wednesday after confiscating it at Beirut airport upon his arrival to Lebanon on Sunday.Here’s what we know:    • On Wednesday night Braidi explained in videos published on his Instagram account that he was “not investigated nor...