Khaberni - Many Lebanese have been preoccupied since Tuesday with the news of the start of the trial of Noah Zaiter, who is described by many in the country as the "drug emperor".
The "lenient verdict" sparked a wave of outrage and widespread criticism on social media.
The "Permanent Military Court" began yesterday to interrogate Zaiter in 40 cases (all misdemeanors) on charges of "opposing army patrols while carrying out military missions in the Beqaa area, in addition to assaulting members of the internal security forces, possessing weapons and ammunition of war, and firing in populated areas," knowing that Zaiter has been pursued since 1992 in more than 150 cases.
One month imprisonment
Then, it issued a ruling sentencing him to one month imprisonment in four misdemeanors, and the confiscation of the military weapons, ammunition, and wireless devices that were seized, belonging to the accused.
However, it acquitted him in 3 other files due to insufficient evidence against him, and dropped the charges in 33 files due to the statute of limitations.
This caused irritation among many Lebanese who considered these sentences suspiciously lenient.
Indeed, one X user commented: "If you ran a red light the penalty would be harsher".
Others saw these rulings as a disgrace to the military judiciary, indicating a plot to release him.
Meanwhile, Zaiter's attorney, Saliba Haj, revealed that the military court sentenced his client to one month in prison in four files and acquitted him in three others, and dismissed 33 files over time.
He also pointed out that all these sentences are for minor misdemeanors such as firing shots.
But he confirmed that several files related to felonies like drugs, murder, and shooting at the army will receive their verdicts next May 5.
It is worth noting that yesterday's session was the first public trial for this man, who has been pursued in absentia for more than 30 years in hundreds of security and drug cases.
The army intelligence arrested Zaiter, a supporter of Hezbollah and one of the prominent drug smugglers between Lebanon and Syria, in November 2025, in the Beqaa region, east of the country.
