Case Study No. 12: Violent Consequences of Hezbollah & Islamists Online Campaign Following MTV’s pro-LGBTQAI+ Ad

Introduction

 

In light of the ongoing political deadlock in Lebanon, the alarming rise of hate speech has taken firm root. The established status quo has once again turned to a familiar scapegoat: cracking down on marginalized groups and imposing increasing restrictions on freedom. This trend not only continues to shape the virtual interactions of political followers, influencing online public sentiment but also manifests in tangible consequences, sparking real-world escalations and violence against marginalized communities.

 

This report aims to comprehensively examine the reactions provoked on the Samir Kassir Foundation’s (SKF) social media platforms in response to hate speech. Furthermore, it sheds light on the tangible repercussions stemming from the widespread dissemination of hate speech across various social media channels.

 

Our study employs a multifaceted framework to assess the stances of social media contributors toward victims of violations, the prevalence of hate speech, and the discernible political affiliations of the audience. Additionally, where applicable, we delve into a gender-based analysis to provide a more holistic perspective on this complex issue.

 

Background

 

On September 2, 2023, the MTV channel launched an advertisement advocating for the repeal of Article 534 of the Lebanese Penal Code, a change that, if realized, would lead to the decriminalization of homosexuality. This move followed months of intense online debates on the subject. The advertisement was released amid heated discussions at the legislative and executive levels of the Lebanese state, sparking a significant wave of reactions.

 

Several Members of Parliament (MPs) introduced various bills with different intentions concerning the amendment of Article 534. As expected, the advertisement encountered widespread backlash, including the use of derogatory language and incitement to violence against both the channel and the Lebanese queer community. Public officials, ministers, and religious figures issued severe threats and vowed to take disciplinary actions against anyone promoting homosexuality.

 

Findings

 

On September 4, SKF’s SKeyes Center for Media and Cultural Freedom published a Facebook post regarding the anti-MTV online campaign. In the following section, we will delve into the most relevant comments received on this post in the four weeks that followed its publication. We used the simple random sampling method to choose a sample of 200 Facebook comments.

 

The sampling method goes as follows:

• Step 1: Define the population
• Step 2: Decide on the sample size
• Step 3: Randomly select your sample
• Step 4: Collect data from your sample.

 

The analysis results are presented below.

Fig.1 - Position towards the victim of the violation

 

After scrutinizing the sampled accounts, the analysis uncovered that 89.5% of them expressed opposition to the content featured in MTV’s advertisement. Meanwhile, 9% of the accounts posted comments in support of personal liberties. The remaining 1.5% maintained a neutral stance.

Fig.2 - Use of hate speech

 

Among the analyzed accounts, 41.5% included comments containing hate speech, while 58.5% contributed comments devoid of hate speech. While these numbers indicate a relatively high usage of hate speech in the context of social media monitoring, they should be considered in light of the data in Figure 1, which reveals that 89.5% of users were against MTV's advertisement. This observation highlights that a substantial proportion of users who were against the advertisement managed to express their opposition without resorting to hate speech.

Possible reasons for this apparent discrepancy include:

 

1. Different modes of expression: Some users may hold conservative or traditional views but choose not to express them in a derogatory or aggressive manner online. Instead, they might prefer civil discourse or providing reasoned arguments.
2. Platform regulations and moderation: Platforms like those owned by Meta have introduced stricter rules and moderation systems to detect and remove hate speech. This has likely deterred some users from using explicit hate speech due to the risk of facing consequences.
3. SKF’s awareness campaigns: Over the past two years, SKF’s SKeyes Center for Media and Cultural Freedom has conducted ongoing awareness campaigns. These campaigns involved the publication of reports highlighting the offensiveness of hate speech. It is possible that these efforts have contributed to an increased awareness of the harm caused by hate speech. Such awareness might discourage users from resorting to hate speech, even if they hold discriminatory views.

 

It is important to consider that these findings indicate a complex interplay of individual behavior, platform dynamics, and evolving social norms, shedding light on the ways people express their opinions online.

 

Fig.3 - Commenters’ visible political affiliation

 

Among the accounts subjected to analysis, it was found that 24.1% were affiliated with Hezbollah; 4% supported the Amal Movement; 10.1% displayed indications of alignment with political Sunni Islam, and a mere 5% demonstrated affiliation with the two major Christian-backed parties, the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM), and the Lebanese Forces. Additionally, 0.5% of the accounts showed affiliation with the Arab Socialist Ba’ath Party in Syria. Notably, 56.3% of the accounts did not overtly indicate any political affiliation, although a significant majority among them echoed the discourse used by supporters of the aforementioned political groups.

 

It is essential to highlight that within the realm of Hezbollah-affiliated accounts, a substantial 56.25% employed hate speech in their comments. Similarly, among the Islamist-leaning accounts, 40% also resorted to hate speech. Additionally, 35.7% of the accounts lacking visible political affiliations included content infused with hate speech. Notably, exactly half of the users associated with Amal and FPM also resorted to hate speech in their comments.

 

It is worth mentioning that half of the users affiliated with the Lebanese Forces expressed support for the decriminalization of homosexuality, while the other half were against it, making it the only sectarian-led party that exhibited a mixed stance on this topic.

 

Fig.4 - Commenters’ visible gender

 

Out of the analyzed accounts, 68.5% were males, 29.5% were females, and 2% did not show any discernible gender identity on their accounts. It was observed that 79.5% of the accounts that posted comments containing hate speech belonged to male contributors, while 20.4% were associated with female accounts.

 

Timeline Leading to On-ground Escalations

 

1. September 1: A delegation representing the Muslim Scholars Gathering paid a visit to the Maronite Archbishop of Jbeil, Bishop Michel Aoun, to engage in a dialogue about the importance of religious leaders collaborating in combating the promotion of homosexuality, unethical conduct, and atheism. These issues were viewed as threats to divine religions and moral values.

2. September 2: Sheikh Hassan Moraib, the assistant general inspector of Dar al-Fatwa, issued a religious edict (fatwa) asserting that “it is a religious, societal, and moral obligation to boycott MTV because the channel is aligned with Satan, who rewards them with money.” He declared that it is impermissible to view the channel or its programming due to an advertisement aired by MTV in support of the repeal of Article 534 of the Penal Code, which is used to prosecute LGBTQ+ individuals. While Merheb indicated that this fatwa applies to all Muslims, he urged Christian religious leaders to unite “to safeguard society against deviant behavior and immodesty.”

3. September 2 and onwards: Minister of Culture Mohammad Mortada and Sheikh Hassan Moraib launched a massive hate speech campaign. The campaign included misleading information about homosexuality and linking it to Western agendas.

4. September 18: Information Minister Ziad Makari provides a platform to advocate for homophobic views. During a meeting with a delegation from a group called 'Female and Male Journalists Against Homosexuality,' the Minister is reported to have strongly expressed his opposition to homosexuality and his dedication to “raising awareness within our institutions.”

5. September 21: Twenty-four civil society organizations and a group of progressive alternative political movements called for a “March for Liberties” on September 30 at 4 p.m. in downtown Beirut.

 

The voices demanding to ban this march on social media were louder than ever, alongside a consistent hate-inciting campaign initiated by a series of public statements and press releases from senior politicians and popular religious figures. This occurred against a backdrop of several violent attacks by Muslim and Christian extremists on public places, schools, and even hospitals that were allegedly “promoting homosexuality.” Numerous videos circulated featuring extremists from diverse religious communities calling for action against the “March for Liberties.”

6. September 30: Sheikh Hassan Moraib publicly announced his direct coordination with Hezbollah and the Christian extremists “Soldiers of God” to combat the promotion of homosexuality. Protestors who participated in the “March for Liberties” were attacked before the event even began. Several demonstrators were brutally assaulted by extremists who had deliberately planned and executed these attacks systematically. This led to protestors being trapped between different groups of hooligans. The Lebanese Internal Security Forces (ISF) showed a clear lack of protection for the protestors. Some videos showed ISF officers laughing and mocking protestors who were terrorized by the mobs. Some protestor testimonies indicated that ISF officers were actively intimidating journalists, reporters, and rally participants by threatening to clear the way for extremists to attack them in confined areas.

 

A few days after the attack, Sheikh Hassan Moraib took credit for the attack on protestors via a post on X.

7. September 30: A resto-bar in Tyre was attacked by armed men. It was reported that fabricated videos portraying the gathering at the bar as a “queer party” were being spread on WhatsApp community groups in Tyre.

8. To this day, Hezbollah-backed media outlets persist in inciting violence and revealing the identity and affiliations of individuals, journalists, and activists who took part in the “March for Liberties.”

This report was made possible through support from the UN Democracy Fund.