What we know about Saade’s arrest: Suspicious phone call, domestic worker’s link to Israel

BEIRUT — Lebanese journalist and writer Wissam Saade was released Friday afternoon after being detained and interrogated by the Information Branch of the General Security in connection with an investigation involving phone calls made to Israel by a domestic worker in his household, and a text message he received in 2019 from a Cambodian number.

That message was asking him to "call immediately," sources confirmed to L'Orient Today, noting that General Security initially believed that those behind the Cambodian number were Israeli.

Saade was released on "proof of residence," as part of a process by which detainees, usually those arrested during protests or other situations, are released pending further investigation and where the proof of residency serves as a form of collateral to ensure their appearance in court or during the ongoing inquiry.

On Thursday, General Security raided Saade's home, confiscating his mobile phone, personal computer, and passport. The raid was part of an investigation into phone calls made by a domestic worker employed in his household to a number in Israel, allegedly to contact her sister who resides there, Rabih al-Amine, a filmmaker and close associate of Saade, who is closely following the case told L'Orient Today Friday.

An informed source on the case told L'Orient Today that "Saade's interrogation started at 10 a.m. and lasted around an hour and a half, then he was released after providing his proof of residency. The interrogation took place at the Information Branch, which later referred the file to the Military Prosecutor's Office Judge Fadi Akiki. It is now up to Fadi Akiki to decide whether to press charges or to close the case," the source said.

The source added: "It appears that there was no wrongdoing — nothing criminal took place during the questioning. Based on the interrogation, there’s nothing indicating he should be charged. At this stage, it looks like the matter is over."

Commenting on the matter in a Facebook post, Saade wrote he was interrogated "with professionalism" on different topics, including "a post or an inbox message or a number I allegedly received from Cambodia in 2019." "What we need is for our country to be a land of freedom, not of fear and suspicion," he added. After the interrogation, Saade also said to the press that he was asked about "several public figures" that he knows. 

Regarding the "suspicious call" from 2019, "I told them that that phone is no longer working. They claimed that those behind the number were Israelis, but they let it go due to lack of sufficient evidence on the matter," the journalist added.

Saade said he was also asked on his position "on peace with Israel and I said my position is known from my writings. I'm with fair and comprehensive peace." 

Saade said that such incidents happen when an "informant says something but those informants will be known." In his Facebook publication, he also pointed "secret informants moving in the shadows, unidentified."

'Legally, things are very unclear'

Jad Shahrour, communications officer for the civil society group Samir Kassir Foundation, which advocates for media freedom, told L’Orient Today: “There’s still no clear information. Legally, things are very unclear. We don’t know what exactly the charges are based on. It’s hard to form a position when the accusations aren’t backed by clear evidence.”

A Lebanese judicial source told al-Modon that the decision by Akiki is not related to freedom of expression, emphasizing that the investigation strictly concerns calls made by the domestic worker to Israel.

According to the source, a Filipino worker arrived at Saade’s home after Oct. 7, 2023, and it was discovered that her sister also works for a Russian family in Tel Aviv. Saade recently found out that the maid was in contact with her sister and reported the matter to a Lebanese security agency. He immediately terminated her employment, and she left the country.

‘Wave of solidarity on social media’

“All solidarity with Wissam Saade, a prominent political writer. Those attempting to fabricate accusations against him would need light-years just to reach his level of knowledge,” journalist and Daraj media co-founder Diana Moukalled wrote on X:

“All solidarity with our friend Wissam Saade, one of the most important intellectuals in Lebanon and the Arab world, in the face of the remnants of the system of weapons, backwardness and obscurantism,” MTV journalist Dima Sadek wrote on X:

Following the incident, the Journalists for Freedom collective issued a statement condemning the decision, noting:

“We consider these actions a return to a bygone era, when police-state methods prevailed in dealing with freedom of opinion and expression — a constitutional right that must not be violated under any pretext. What happened raises serious questions, not only about the decision itself, but also about the motives behind it and the manner in which a well-known journalist, known for his intellectual and political writings, was treated.”

The collective called on all judicial and political authorities, as well as human rights organizations, "not to remain silent or cooperate with any measure that infringes on media and press freedom in Lebanon. We affirm that freedom of expression remains the cornerstone of any democratic system, and any attempt to undermine it is an assault on the Lebanese state and its foundations of free existence."

In Lebanon, contacting Israeli individuals or entities is strictly prohibited under the 1955 Anti-Israeli Boycott Law and the Lebanese Criminal Code.

These laws ban any form of direct or indirect communication, including online interactions, and violations can lead to severe penalties such as imprisonment or fines. The Military Court handles such cases, and enforcement has included interrogations over even minimal digital contact.

In 2013, Saade was briefly detained at Beirut’s airport while returning from Cairo after customs officers found the complete works of Egyptian scholar Rifaat al-Tahtawi in his luggage. The officers reportedly asked whether he had prior authorization from General Security, citing concerns over intellectual property rights. Although Saade identified himself as a journalist and academic, authorities insisted the number of books exceeded the legal limit.