Habib Younis, a journalist who wrote for the London-based Al-Hayat, was released from jail on Tuesday after serving a 15-month sentence for collaborating with Israel, security officials said.
His wife Mireille and family members hugged Younis as he came out from the Roumieh central prison east of Beirut, according to the officials.
His release came ten days after Toufic Hindy, a top official of an outlawed Lebanese Christian group, the Lebanese Forces militia, was freed after also serving a 15-month jail term after his conviction of similar charges.
Younis and Hindy were arrested back in the year 2001 along with Antoine Bassil, a journalist who worked for a pro-Israeli Television station during Israel's occupation of a south Lebanon border strip. Israel withdrew in May 2000. Bassil is serving a 30-month jail sentence.
All three were charged with contacting Israel, meeting Israeli officials and harming Lebanon's ties with Syria. Damascus keeps 25,000 troops in Lebanon.
The military appeals court sentenced Younis and Hindy to three years behind bars, but later commuted both sentences to 15 months. Bassil was initially sentenced to four years in prison but that was later on commuted to 30 months. The three belonged to the now outlawed Israeli-backed Lebanese Forces, according to AP. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
