New details in the case of Wafa Moussalli at Beirut Airport

Syrian artist Wafa Moussalli revealed new details about the assault incident that she said she was subjected to at Rafic Hariri International Airport in Beirut during November 2024, confirming that what happened was completely documented via surveillance cameras, and that her account is based on recorded facts and not on unproven allegations.

Mosalli explained, in media statements, that the incident occurred while she was on her way to travel to photograph an artistic work, and she was surprised that she was prevented from completing travel procedures without any legal justification, despite her compliance with all instructions and not committing any violation.

She confirmed that what she was subjected to was not limited to mistreatment, but rather developed into a verbal and physical assault by a security officer at the airport, considering that what happened cannot be overlooked, and stressing the need to hold those responsible accountable.

Moussalli said that her resort to the judiciary is not aimed at personal revenge, but rather at obtaining legal restitution, considering that the case goes beyond its individual dimension and affects the principle of human dignity, in addition to preventing the recurrence of such incidents with other travelers.

She indicated that matters became more complicated after an official report was prepared against her, which, according to her, included incorrect information, and she was asked to sign it, which led her to refuse. She pointed out that the report accused her of trying to escape towards the plane, which she described as an illogical claim, especially since she had her passport in her possession inside the airport.

According to her account, the dispute began when she was asked to leave the waiting area while completing the passport processing, and she confirmed that she complied with the request, before a security officer surprised her by violently grabbing her hand under the pretext of using the phone, which led to a verbal altercation in front of the travelers. She added that she tried to contain the situation calmly, but the behavior of the security officer and his offensive statements escalated the situation, and she ended up being banned from traveling and leaving Lebanon.

At the conclusion of her statements, Wafa Mossalli affirmed her full confidence in the Lebanese judiciary, noting that the case is still under consideration before the courts and is following its normal legal path. She also stressed that she did not know the security officer in question personally, and did not recognize his name until she was preparing the report, stressing that her main demand is to achieve justice and preserve human dignity without any abuse or transgression.