Dozens Protest outside French Embassy, Demand Georges Abdallah's Release
Dozens of protesters gathered on Tuesday outside the French embassy in Beirut demanding the release of militant Georges Ibrahim Abdallah who has spent 28 years in French jails.
The demonstration was held after French prosecutors appealed a Paris court's decision to grant parole to the pro-Palestinian militant, effectively keeping the 61-year-old behind bars.
"Freedom for Georges Abdallah!" chanted the protesters.
Abdallah was arrested in 1984 and sentenced to life in prison three years later for his alleged involvement in the 1982 murders of U.S. military attache Charles Robert Ray and Israeli diplomat Yacov Barsimantov.
"My feeling is that France, by continuing to hold Georges, is just working under the orders of the United States administration," said Abdallah's brother, 65-year-old Joseph Abdallah.
"But we still have hope he will be freed. He is a fighter," he added.
Abdallah's eighth appeal for parole was granted on condition that he be deported immediately, but his hopes of being freed were dashed when state prosecutors launched their legal challenge.
Abdallah had been eligible for parole from 1999 onwards but failed in seven previous bids to be released.
27 November 2012, 21:26
03
He is very lucky to be alive. If he was under another jurisdiction he would by now have been served with capital punishment. He was involved in murdering two human beings! He got away with it by being sentenced with life imprisonment! And, now, he and his supporters are rallying for his freedom?
Sorry George, you do not deserve freedom, you should rot in jail. And when you pass away, may you burn in hell...
27 November 2012, 23:28
02
Sorry I can't help you as I have no connection with the filthy militia. Hang all terrorists no matter what nationality.
27 November 2012, 23:56
01
He is Lebanese born in ( Al Qoubaiyat ) He was captured in 1984 and sentenced to life in prison in 1987 for his involvement in the 1982 murder of Lieutenant Colonel Charles R. Ray, who was an assistant US military attaché and murder of Israeli diplomat Yacov Barsimentov in Paris, as well as involvement in the attempted assassination of American consul in Strasbourg ,hey positivneutral hope this helps ,thank god for google dude .
28 November 2012, 07:01
11
as much as i would like him to stay jailed for his crimes, he should be treated like all prisoners who get a life prison sentence in France i.e. be freed after 25 years. It's a question of justice.
28 November 2012, 09:12
03
Others protesting in front of the French embassy in Beirut were shouting "Keep Miqati there, and take back Aoun!"...
28 November 2012, 09:59
03
A shame for Lebanon ; A terrorist communist socialist victim ... May he rot in hell . Thanks France for keeping a devil in jail .
29 November 2012, 18:17
00
Why do you want him back? Don't you have enough thugs, murderers and terrorists in Lebanon? Hezbollah, the salafis, the wahhabis, Amal, jund el sham and other palestinian terror groups? No. Please France keep this piece of shit with you. We got Samir Kuntar and made a circus... No need for more
