View of the Dora roundabout, at the northern entrance to Beirut. (Credit: João Sousa)
The General Directorate of General Security (SG) announced Sunday that it had arrested 26 suspects of various nationalities, between Friday and Saturday, as part of a crackdown on active prostitution rings in Dora (north of Beirut) and Maameltein, a coastal town in Kesrouan where these activities are frequent.
In a statement, SG said it had carried out "a security campaign in the regions of Dora and Maameltein targeting prostitution rings and those involved in facilitating them. The operation resulted in the arrest of 26 individuals of different nationalities, both men and women, on the order of the competent judiciary."
SG said it would continue "strict enforcement of the law in order to protect society, preserve its stability, and prevent any practices that undermine values and social security."
In crisis-hit Lebanon, prostitution has regained ground after being severely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic and the collapse of the Lebanese lira. Underground prostitution remains banned under Lebanese law. According to Article 523 of the penal code, "any person who practices or facilitates clandestine prostitution is sentenced" to imprisonment for one to three years and a fine of two to four times the minimum wage.
