A screenshot of the Japanese ambassador's tweet, where he found a stray bullet in his home's garden. (Credit: Takeshi Okubo's Twitter page)
BEIRUT – A stray bullet, presumably from celebratory gunfire following the announcement of parliamentary election results, was found in the Japanese Ambassador to Lebanon Takeshi Okubo’s garden Wednesday.
Here’s what we know:
• “A Bullet in my garden. Maybe from the festivities. Danger in open spaces. Take care of yourselves!” Japanese Ambassador to Lebanon Takeshi Okubo wrote in a tweet.
• On Tuesday, UNICEF called for the end of celebratory gunfire, which has led to several injuries over the past week, injuring four children in Lebanon.
• In the statement, UNICEF said, “so-called celebratory gunfire is a very dangerous tradition that needs to end.” It also urged community leaders and local authorities to keep children safe from the harm of and exposure to celebratory gunfire.
• In 2016, Law No.71/2016 was passed, which criminalizes shooting firearms in the air, with punishments of six months to three years in prison, and 10 years of hard labor and a fine if someone is accidentally killed by a stray bullet.
• According to Beirut-based research center Information International, between 2010 and 2021, stray bullets caused an average of seven deaths and 15 injuries a year.