Army arrests 86 people for celebratory gunfire during the elections

BEIRUT — The Lebanese Army announced the arrest of 86 individuals who are suspected of firing their guns in the air while celebrating the results of the municipal elections, held in Mount Lebanon and northern Lebanon during the last two Sundays. Two people were wounded by stray bullets last Sunday, one of whom was a journalist and the other, a young man who was in critical condition after being hit.

The army announced the arrests in a statement on Friday, noting that it "continues to monitor the security situation and carry out raids to arrest those responsible and refer them to the competent judiciary." Those arrested had weapons and ammunition in their possession, which the army said it had seized.

The army said it would "not hesitate to pursue and arrest all those involved across all Lebanese territories," and reiterated its warnings against firing celebratory shots, "under penalty of legal action."

All firearm permits in the governorates of Beirut, Bekaa, and Baalbek-Hermel have been suspended from May 17 until May 20, covering the day leading up to and the two days following the May 18 election day in those governorates.

The army has deployed special units ahead of these elections, it stated, to "implement exceptional security measures," which include setting up temporary checkpoints and conducting patrols "with the aim of maintaining security and stability during the electoral process and preventing incidents."

The Army Command called on citizens to cooperate with these measures to safeguard their security and safety, and to maintain an atmosphere of "freedom and democracy" at the ballot boxes. It also urged them to report any attempts to disrupt security to the nearest military post or by contacting the Army Command Operations Room at 117.

On Thursday, Parliament adopted a text to double the penalties against "celebratory" shootings had been presented by MP Achraf Baydoun, and amends Law No. 71 of Oct. 27, 2016, which criminalizes "celebratory" shootings, by increasing the penalties incurred.

The decision comes after two people — LBCI journalist Nada Andraos and a young man, who was in critical condition — were injured by stray bullets in Tripoli on Sunday evening, following the announcement of municipal election results.

Although illegal, "celebratory" shootings are very common in Lebanon. The 2016 law punishes shooters with prison sentences ranging from six months to three years, and 10 years' hard labor plus a fine if the shooting results in death.

Despite these measures, the practice persists. According to the Beirut-based research center Information International, between 2010 and 2021, stray bullets caused an average of seven deaths and 15 injuries per year.