Since its inception, a key focus of UMAM D&R’s work has been on promoting justice and accountability in the Middle East across a wide range of topics. Additionally, through the years UMAM D&R has increasingly begun to focus on the needs for justice and accountability in Lebanon specifically. The financial collapse of the country in 2019, the outbreak of the October 2019 revolution, the August 2020 Beirut Port Explosion, and particularly, the February 2021 political assassination of UMAM D&R’s co-founder and co-director Lokman Slim brought the importance of this ongoing work to the forefront of the organization’s mission and focus. 

Therefore, this initiative “Justice for Lebanon” encompasses UMAM D&R’s recent work on justice and accountability, specifically on issues related to political assassinations, violations of freedom of expression, the pervasive culture and legacy of impunity, and other forms of both acute and structural political violence in Lebanon. 

UMAM D&R’s work under this initiative has been in collaboration with partner individuals (lawyers, politicians, activists, researchers, and journalists) and organizations working on similar issues, including but not limited to those addressing political assassinations, such as the Lokman Slim Foundation; those involved in the October 2019 Revolution; those seeking justice and accountability for the August 2020 Beirut Port explosion; those advocating for prisoner rights; those working on the topic of the missing; and those working on freedom of expression and speech.   

UMAM D&R has organized and participated in several public events to openly and critically analyze the past, present, and future in Lebanon in terms of justice, accountability, and human rights-based approaches.

Since its inception, a key focus of UMAM D&R’s work has been on promoting justice and accountability in the Middle East across a wide range of topics. Additionally, through the years UMAM D&R has increasingly begun to focus on the needs for justice and accountability in Lebanon specifically. The financial collapse of the country in 2019, the outbreak of the October 2019 revolution, the August 2020 Beirut Port Explosion, and particularly, the February 2021 political assassination of UMAM D&R’s co-founder and co-director Lokman Slim brought the importance of this ongoing work to the forefront of the organization’s mission and focus. 

Therefore, this initiative “Justice for Lebanon” encompasses UMAM D&R’s recent work on justice and accountability, specifically on issues related to political assassinations, violations of freedom of expression, the pervasive culture and legacy of impunity, and other forms of both acute and structural political violence in Lebanon. 

UMAM D&R’s work under this initiative has been in collaboration with partner individuals (lawyers, politicians, activists, researchers, and journalists) and organizations working on similar issues, including but not limited to those addressing political assassinations, such as the Lokman Slim Foundation; those involved in the October 2019 Revolution; those seeking justice and accountability for the August 2020 Beirut Port explosion; those advocating for prisoner rights; those working on the topic of the missing; and those working on freedom of expression and speech.   

UMAM D&R has organized and participated in several public events to openly and critically analyze the past, present, and future in Lebanon in terms of justice, accountability, and human rights-based approaches.