Singer Rima Rahbani described an incident in the early 1980s in which her sister Layal and a colleague were beaten and detained by Lebanese Forces personnel while filming a documentary about Bashir Gemayel in Bikfaya.
Rima Rahbani issued a statement after facing backlash over comments expressing her respect for Lebanese and international leaders, asserting that her position stems from conviction about sovereignty, dignity and national principles rather than political allegiance.
She said she was surprised by the scale of anger her remarks provoked and reaffirmed her commitment to Lebanon's 10,452 square kilometres, stating she accepts nothing less.
Before closing the matter, Rahbani recounted an incident involving her sister Layal, who worked for a company managed by Lebanese Forces supporters in the early 1980s. The company had been contracted to produce a documentary about Bashir Gemayel, with Layal and Mardeg, a Lebanese-Armenian, handling filming, editing and technical work.
Layal and Mardeg travelled to Bikfaya to film scenes related to Gemayel's childhood after obtaining the necessary permits and authorisation. While there, a vehicle belonging to the Lebanese Forces arrived and both were beaten, their camera was confiscated, and they were taken away and detained.
When they attempted to show their filming permits and authorisation, the personnel refused to examine the documents. The detention lasted more than six hours and possibly into the next day, Rahbani said.
The absence of mobile phones at the time made contact with them and locating them difficult, until the company's management intervened to secure their release.
In her statement, Rahbani rejected the notion that her concept of nation relates to political parties, saying nation stands opposed to party affiliation. She cited her late father Mansour Rahbani's works including 'Jabal al-Sawwan', 'Fakhr al-Din' and 'Safar Burlak' as expressions of her deep relationship with Lebanon's history and identity.
