Gebran Tueni facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gebran Tueni
جبران تويني
Born	Gebran Ghassan Tueni 15 September 1957 Achrafieh, Beirut
Died	12 December 2005 (aged 48) Mkalles, Matn District, Beirut
Cause of death	Assassination
Resting place	Saint Dimitrius church
Nationality	Lebanese
Education	École supérieure de journalisme de Paris
Occupation	Journalist, Politician, Businessman
Political party	Qornet Shehwan Gathering
Spouse(s)	Mirna Murr (divorced) Siham Asseily
Children	Nayla Tueni, Michelle Tueni, Nadia Tueni, Gabriella Tueni
Parent(s)	Ghassan Tueni Nadia Hamadeh
Relatives	Marwan Hamadeh (uncle), Ali Hamade (uncle)

Gebran Ghassan Tueni (Arabic: جبران تويني; born 15 September 1957 – died 12 December 2005) was a brave journalist and politician from Lebanon. He was the editor and publisher of a daily newspaper called An Nahar. This newspaper was started by his grandfather, who was also named Gebran Tueni, back in 1933. Gebran Tueni was sadly killed in 2005. His death was part of a series of attacks on people in Lebanon who spoke out against Syria.

Early Life and Family

Gebran Tueni was born in Beirut, Lebanon, on 15 September 1957. His family was well-known in Lebanon. His father, Ghassan Tueni, was a famous journalist and politician. His mother, Nadia Hamadeh, was a poet.

Gebran was named after his grandfather, Gebran Tueni, who was a very important journalist. His grandfather founded the newspaper An Nahar. Gebran's family had a long history of being involved in journalism and public life.

When Gebran was 18, he saw the terrible effects of the Lebanese Civil War. This war caused a lot of fighting between different groups. He even served in the Lebanese army for a year. During this time, he was shot by Palestinian fighters in 1976. He was also kidnapped by Christian fighters for 36 hours in 1977. These experiences showed him how important peace and understanding were.

Education and Learning

Gebran Tueni was very dedicated to his education. He earned a degree in international relations from École des Hautes Études in 1980. At the same time, he studied journalism at Ecole Supérieure de Journalisme de Paris, also graduating in 1980. He also studied management at CEDEP-INSEAD in 1992, showing his interest in running businesses.

Journalism and Political Career

Gebran Tueni's career in journalism began in Paris in 1979. He helped launch a weekly magazine called An Nahar Arab and International. He was its general manager and editor-in-chief until 1990.

From 1993 to 1999, he worked as the general director of the daily newspaper An Nahar. He also directed a monthly magazine called Noun from 1997 to 2000. Because of his friendship with General Michel Aoun, he lived in Paris from 1990 to 1993.

Gebran became an important member of the World Association of Newspapers (WAN) in 1990. He advised WAN on Middle Eastern issues and was part of their Fund for Press Freedom Development. On 1 January 2000, he became the publisher, chairman, director, and editorialist of An Nahar. He held these roles until his death in 2005.

Speaking Out for Lebanon

Gebran Tueni became internationally known in March 2000. He wrote a bold letter on the front page of An Nahar to Bashar Assad, who was about to become the president of Syria. In his letter, Gebran called for Syrian troops to leave Lebanon. This was a very brave thing to do because it went against what many people dared to say in the press.

His letter was published when the US president and Syrian president were meeting. Some Lebanese officials and newspapers disagreed with him. However, many other writers supported his strong message. In April 2001, he helped start the Qornet Shehwan Gathering. This group included many Lebanese Christian politicians and public figures who wanted a free Lebanon.

In March 2005, Gebran played a big part in the Cedar Revolution. These were large demonstrations where people demanded Syria's withdrawal from Lebanon. He gave a powerful speech, saying, "In the name of God We, Muslims and Christians, Pledge that united we shall remain to the end of time to better defend our Lebanon."

In May 2005, he was elected as a member of the Parliament of Lebanon. He represented the Eastern Orthodox Christian seat in Beirut. He was part of an anti-Syrian group led by Saad Hariri.

His Beliefs

Gebran Tueni strongly believed in freedom of speech. He encouraged people to question the government of Hafez al-Assad in Syria. At first, he hoped that Bashar al-Assad would bring positive changes to Syria's relationship with Lebanon.

However, when Bashar al-Assad sided with then-Lebanese President Emile Lahoud and Hezbollah, Gebran became disappointed. He then became a strong critic of the Syrian government and its actions in Lebanon. He always stood up for Lebanon's independence and freedom.

His Assassination

Even though Gebran Tueni continued writing for An Nahar, he had left Beirut for a while. After the assassination of Rafic Hariri, he learned that he might be a target. He started taking precautions, like changing cars often. In June 2005, his fellow journalist Samir Kassir was also killed. Gebran then went to Paris for some time and returned to Lebanon on 11 December 2005.

Sadly, Gebran Tueni was killed by a car bomb on 12 December 2005. This happened in Mkalles, a suburb of Beirut, as he was driving to his newspaper office. Two of his bodyguards also died in the explosion. He was the seventh person targeted in a series of attacks on politicians, journalists, and security officials in Lebanon that year.

His funeral was held at Saint George church in Beirut, and he was buried at Saint Dimitrius church. Tens of thousands of people filled the streets of Beirut to mourn him. Many blamed Syria for his death because of his strong anti-Syrian views. They chanted slogans against Syria. Members of the Lebanese parliament also honored him with a moment of silence. His family promised that his newspaper, An Nahar (which means 'The Day'), would continue its work.

Reactions and Investigations

After his death, a group called "Strugglers for the Unity and Freedom of al-Sham" claimed responsibility. They sent a message warning that other opponents of "Arabism" in Lebanon would face the same fate. They claimed they had "shut up" a traitor and turned An Nahar into "Dark Night."

Many anti-Syrian Lebanese politicians blamed Syria. However, Syrian authorities denied being involved. They said the crime was meant to create new accusations against Syria. The explosion happened just hours before a UN report on the Hariri assassination was due. Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora asked the United Nations Security Council to investigate Syria's role in the deaths of Tueni and other anti-Syrian figures.

Before his death, Gebran Tueni was pushing for an international investigation into mass graves found in Anjar, near Syrian intelligence headquarters. Later, it was found that these graves were from an 18th-century cemetery. In his last editorial, Gebran accused Syria of "crimes against humanity" and blamed them for the mass graves and other terrible acts in Lebanon during their presence. His articles often angered the Syrians.

Koïchiro Matsuura, the head of UNESCO, said that the world had lost a great defender of the press. He expressed concern about the increasing attacks on Lebanese journalists and politicians.

In October 2012, the Tueni family's lawyer, Boutros Harb, filed a lawsuit against two Syrian officers. They were accused of being involved in Gebran Tueni's assassination.

Family Life

Gebran Tueni was married twice. His first wife was Mirna Murr, and they had two daughters, Nayla and Michelle. Mirna Murr is the daughter of Michel Murr, a Lebanese politician. They later divorced.

His second wife was Siham Asseily. They had twin daughters, Gabriella and Nadia, who were only a few months old when Gebran was killed.

His Legacy

Gebran Tueni's bravery and dedication to freedom of the press left a lasting impact.

Gebran Tueni Award

After his death, the World Association of Newspapers created the Gebran Tueni Award in 2006. This award is given to a newspaper publisher or editor in the Arab world who shows the same values of a free press that Gebran Tueni believed in.

Some of the journalists who have received this award include:

• 2012: Ali Farzat, a cartoonist from Syria
• 2010: Aboubakr Jamaï, from Le Journal Hebdomadaire in Morocco
• 2009: Asos Hardi, from Awene in Iraqi Kurdistan
• 2008: Ibrahim Essa, from Al Dustour in Egypt
• 2007: Michel Hajji Georgiou, from L'Orient Le Jour in Lebanon
• 2006: Nadia Al-Sakkaf, from Yemen Times in Yemen

Gebran Tueni Human Rights Fellowship Program

In 2009, the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy at Harvard University and the Hariri Foundation-USA started the Gebran G. Tueni Human Rights Fellowship Program. This program allows people to research important human rights issues in the Middle East. These issues include freedom of speech, unfair arrests, or discrimination against minority groups.

See also

• List of assassinated Lebanese politicians