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Lebanon: Freedom on the Net 2017

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FREEDOM ON THE NET 2017 Lebanon 2016 2017 Population: 6 million Partly Partly Internet Freedom Status Internet Penetration 2016 (ITU): 76.1 percent Free Free Social Media/ICT Apps Blocked: No Obstacles to Access (0-25) 13 14 Political/Social Content Blocked: Yes Limits on Content (0-35) 12 12 Bloggers/ICT Users Arrested: Yes Violations of User Rights (0-40) 20 20 TOTAL* (0-100) 45 46 Press Freedom 2017 Status: Partly Free * 0=most free, 100=least free Key Developments: June 2016 – May 2017 ● Residents of Arsal, a northeastern town bordering Syria, have been unable to access mobile internet networks for two years (see Restrictions on Connectivity). ● Lebanese civil society organizations used digital tools to organize boycotts and call for the release of individuals wrongly detained for their social media posts (see Digital Activism). ● Activist Ahmad Amhaz was detained for seven nights in March for ridiculing the president, prime minister, and speaker of parliament in a Facebook post. At least two other Facebook users were detained under harsh defamation laws (see Prosecutions and Detentions for Online Activities). ● Hackers defaced the website of the Lebanese Medical Association for Sexual Health shortly after the organization launched a pro-LGBTI campaign (see Technical Attacks). 1 www.freedomonthenet.org Introduction FREEDOM LEBANON ON THE NET Obstacles to Access 2017 Introduction Availability and Ease of Access Internet freedom declined in Lebanon due to a permanent shutdown on mobile networks in the Restrictions on Connectivity northeastern border town of Arsal that has deprived its 160,000 residents of affordabl internet access for two years. ICT Market The National Assembly elected Michel Aoun as president of Lebanon in October 2016, ending a two-year vacancy.1 Saad Hariri was subsequently appointed prime minister and a new unity cabinet was approved by parliament in December. The change in administration led to a shakeup in the Regulatory Bodies country’s telecommunications sector, which had its reputation damaged in March 2016 after unlicensed internet service providers (ISPs) were discovered to be illegally reselling high-speed access directly from Turkey and Cyprus.2 Abdel-Moneim Youssef, who headed the state-owned ISP Limits on Content OGERO while simultaneously serving as a director general in the telecommunications ministry, is under investigation for his alleged role in the multimillion dollar scandal.34 Blocking and Filtering Lebanese citizens have some of the worst internet speeds in the world. Civil society activists have used social media to protest against the high cost of mobile internet, organizing a one-day boycott Content Removal of telecommunications services in one case. But for some, internet access over mobile networks is totally unavailable. The town of Arsal, home to a significan number of Syrian refugees, has been without mobile internet since August 2015. Located in the Bekaa Valley, the town has been marked Media, Diversity, and Content Manipulation by fightin from the ongoing Syrian civil war. Access was reportedly shut down after Islamist militants captured and killed Lebanese soldiers.5 Digital Activism Activists and journalists face potential arrest, interrogation, and threats for online speech criticizing the government, religious official or the army. The Bureau of Cybercrime and Intellectual Property Rights remains highly active in targeting activists, often in a manner that demonstrates little respect Violations of User Rights for the rule of law. Around 50 websites have been blocked for two years, including a lesbian community forum. In addition to content related to escort services, gambling, or alleged child sexual Legal Environment abuse, 11 Israeli sites are also blocked under an anti-Israel decree dating from 1963. Surveillance remains a strong concern in the country, particularly given the impunity of the security forces and a perceived lack of transparency and accountability in all areas of government. Prosecutions and Detentions for Online Activities Obstacles to Access Surveillance, Privacy, and Anonymity Lebanon suffers from poor infrastructure, low internet speeds, and a digital divide between urban and rural areas. Growth and investment in the telecommunications market is inhibited by state- Intimidation and Violence run monopolies and the country’s general climate of dysfunction and corruption in the public sector. Technical Attacks 1 For more on Lebanon’s political situation, see Freedom House, “Lebanon,” Freedom in the World, 2017, https:// freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/2017/lebanon. 2 Joseph A. Kechichian, “Lebanon’s internet scandal deepens,” Gulf News, May 5, 2016, http://gulfnews.com/news/mena/ lebanon/lebanon-s-internet-scandal-deepens-1.1820066. 3 “Youssef to be charged in internet scandal,” The Daily Star, May 8, 2017, http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon- News/2017/Mar-08/396546-youssef-to-be-charged-in-internet-scandal.ashx. 4 “OGERO rebuff accusations over illegal internet network,” National News Agency,” April 7, 2016, http://nna-leb.gov.lb/en/ show-news/59581/OGERO-rebuffs-accusations-over-illegal-internet-networ . 5 Laila Bassam, Tom Perry, “Hezbollah, Syria army launch offens at Syrian-Lebanese border,” Reuters, July 20, 2017, https:// www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-lebanon/hezbollah-syria-army-launch-offensive-at-syrian-lebanese-border idUSKBN1A608S. 2 www.freedomonthenet.org FREEDOM LEBANON ON THE NET 2017 Nonetheless, the new government has outlined proposals to increase internet speeds and decrease the cost of broadband. Availability and Ease of Access Key Access Indicators 2016 76.1% Internet penetration (ITU)a 2015 74.0% 2011 52.0% 2016 96% Mobile penetration (ITU)b 2015 87% 2011 77% 2017(Q1) 2.1Mbps Average connection speeds (Akamai)c 2016(Q1) 2.0 Mbps a International Telecommunication Union, “Percentage of Individuals Using the Internet, 2000-2016,” http://bit.ly/1cblxxY. b International Telecommunication Union, “Mobile-Cellular Telephone Subscriptions, 2000-2016,” http://bit.ly/1cblxxY. c Akamai, “State of the Internet - Connectivity Report, Q1 2017,” https://goo.gl/TQH7L7. According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), an estimated 76 percent of individuals used the internet in Lebanon as of 2016, a marked increase from 52 percent in 2011. The country has 53.43 mobile broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants, ranking Lebanon 73rd out of 192 countries worldwide, a significan decrease from its rank of 57th in 2014.6 Internet subscription prices are set by the government. In July 2014, a decree by the Ministry of Telecommunications lowered fees on broadband by 44 to 68 percent, depending on bandwidth rates.7 Mobile phone providers also expanded the capacity of broadband bundles between 55 percent and 300 percent without raising prices. Companies offere a 500 megabyte bundle at the fixe price of US$10 (excluding value-added tax) for both fixe and prepaid mobile users.8 Internet Service Providers (ISPs) cannot lower prices unless a decree is issued by the Ministry of Telecommunications.9 Tariff decree number 6297, adopted on November 9, 2011, allowed for 20 percent discounts on DSL prices in educational institutions, and decree number 8058, issued on April 25, 2012, made internet access free between midnight and 7 a.m. and free all day in public parks.10 A “Digital Telecom Vision 2020” plan to renovate telecommunications infrastructure launched by former telecommunications minister Boutros Harb in 2015 appears to have lapsed with the change in administration;11 there was no mention of the project this year and its website is no longer active.12 However, In December 2016, Prime Minister Hariri announced that improving the nation’s internet 6 Biggs, P. (September 2016). The State of Broadband: Broadband catalyzing sustainable development (Rep.). ITU. 7 Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, Annual Report 2014, [in Arabic] http://www.tra.gov.lb/Annual-reports. 8 Personal Internet Offer High Speed Internet (4G-3.9G). (n.d.), Touch Lebanon. http://www.touch.com.lb/autoforms/portal/ touch/personal/internet-offers/highspeedinternet/tariffs. 9 Livia Murray, “Four reasons Lebanon’s internet is so slow,” Executive Magazine, April, 8, 2015, http://bit.ly/1aufiX . 10 Ministry of Telecommunications, Progress Report 2013, http://www.mpt.gov.lb/documents/AnnualReports/MOT_brochure_ en-corr.pdf 11 “Minister Boutros Harb Launches the 2020 Plan,” Republic of Lebanon Ministry of Telecommunications, July 2015, http:// www.mpt.gov.lb/index.php/ar/2013-02-17-13-15-34/mpt-news-ar/50-latest/373-2015-07-01-15-17-30. 12 Website Down. https://lebanonvision2020.com/ 3 www.freedomonthenet.org FREEDOM LEBANON ON THE NET 2017 was at the forefront of his policies13 and promised to increase internet speeds twenty-fold.14 In April 2017, the head of the state-owned fixed-lin provider announced price decreases and faster internet speeds, although these cannot be instituted without government approval.15 Restrictions on Connectivity The Lebanese government maintains a monopoly over the internet backbone, as well as over the fixe and mobile telephone industry in general, allowing it to exercise tight control over ISPs. Lebanon has three international border gateways—in Beirut, Jdeideh, and Tripoli—where three underwater fiber-opti cables connect the country via the IMEWE, Cadmos, and Berytar cables.16 The gateways are operated by OGERO. Arsal, a border town in northeast Lebanon, has been without mobile internet since August 2015. Home
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