Lebanese novelist Fawzi Zabyan injured in armed attack

Lebanese novelist and journalist Fawzi Zabyan was injured in an armed attack south of Beirut on Wednesday evening, prompting an outpouring of solidarity from journalists, writers and intellectuals and calls for those responsible to be held accountable.

Zabyan, 52, a journalist with The New Arab's Lebanon-focused affiliate Al-Modon, was attacked in Choueifat following an earlier dispute with a member of the Lebanese army.

The army member allegedly returned accompanied by a member of the Choueifat municipality, with both men reportedly armed.

Gunfire was discharged during the incident, although it remains unclear who fired the shots.

Zabyan suffered injuries to his head and bruising to his hand after being struck with a stick, while his car was also damaged and its windows smashed.

The precise circumstances surrounding the earlier dispute and how it escalated into an armed confrontation have yet to be established.

Al-Modon expressed its "full solidarity" with Zabyan and called on the relevant authorities to investigate the attack and hold those responsible accountable.

"We stress our rejection of the policy of intimidation, and that an attack on a citizen, writer and intellectual who has always remained within the bounds of the law cannot be accepted," Al-Modon said.

The publication added that it would stand by Zabyan in any legal or other action he chooses to pursue.

A number of Lebanese writers and intellectuals also expressed solidarity with Zabyan on social media, condemning the use of weapons and intimidation to settle disputes.

They stressed the need to uphold the law and protect the right of citizens, including journalists, writers and intellectuals, to live safely and carry out their work without threats or violence.

Zabyan, born in 1974, previously worked for Lebanon's Internal Security Forces before moving into journalism and literature.

He holds a university degree in philosophy, while his writing is known for its use of realism and satire and frequently draws on Lebanese society and his experiences working in the security services.

His best-known novels include Memoirs of a Lebanese Policeman, Beirut from Below and My Name is Fawzi and I Am Fourteen Years Old.