The Military Court of Appeals on Thursday commuted the sentence of the political adviser to Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, Tawfiq Hindi, from three years to 15 months.
The court also commuted the three-year sentence of journalist Habib Younes to 15 months, while Antoine Bassil’s four-year sentence was reduced to 30 months. The three were first sentenced in March after being found guilty of collaborating with Israel. The new sentences, delivered by the highest military court, are irreversible.
The three men, who have already served 11 months of their sentences, were charged with contacting and aiding Israel in its fight against Lebanese resistance forces and providing the Jewish state with classified information.
Hindi’s lawyer, Batroun MP Butros Harb, showed the court the response to a message he had sent the French authorities requesting information on the purpose of Hindi’s visit to France in 1995. The response indicated that records dating back more than three years had been destroyed. Hindi had also been charged with contacting Israel during the visit to France.
The court heard testimony from cardiologist Paul Francis
Karam, who treated Hindi twice following his arrest. He said Hindi suffered a heart attack in 1992, displayed electrocardiograms showing evidence of the attack and said Hindi suffered from fluctuating blood pressure.
On Wednesday, the Military Tribunal cleared the general coordinator of the Free Patriotic movement, retired Major General Nadim Lteif, of all charges of defaming the Syrian Army.
Other detainees connected with the Aug. 7 incident, which took place before the Justice Palace last year and resulted in the arrest of FPM and LF members, were sentenced to seven days in jail. According to the verdict Wednesday, the detainees had completed their sentences.
During the street demonstrations in August, several dozen students were beaten up by plain clothes security officers, resulting in a wave of arrests.
The Military Tribunal had resumed Wednesday the trial of Lteif and FPM activists Hikmat Deeb, Patrick Mestehi, Charbel Abi Aql and Nader Fares, as well as the head of student affairs for the disbanded LF, Salman Samaha, all of whom denied the accusations. They said they called for correcting relations with Syria and stressed the need to implement the Taif Accord.

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