On the 20th and 30th of October, 2017 the Lebanese Foundation will soon be hosting within the academic confines of the Univesity of Sydney Samir Geagea, a self-proclaimed fascist and a convicted war criminal who was imprisoned for carrying out a series of assassinations that killed a number of prominent Lebanese politicians and was actively involved in the deaths of many innocent civilians, most notably, the Beirut refugee massacre at Sabra and Shatilla in 1982.

More surprisingly, the Australian Immigration Department has granted this warlord a visa, whilst many human rights activists fighting for justice, have been denied entrance into the country.

Although been granted a general amnesty by the Lebanese parliament, this does not in any way overturn his conviction, for which he served 11 years in prison, a substantial term.

As member of the International Court of Justice, Australia has a moral and legal obligation in condemning war criminals and calling for their prosecution for crimes committed against humanity. As Australia is seeking a seat on the UN Human Rights Council, we call onto the Australian Department of Immigration and Minister for Immigration to revoke his visa on the basis that Samir Geagea has a substantial criminal record and is a convicted criminal by the Lebanese judicial system.