George Hanna Dib, known as Dr Food, was released from custody by the Mount Lebanon Criminal Court on 15 October. This release occurred on a Thursday, marking a significant development in the high-profile legal situation surrounding the social media figure. His release followed the publication of Lebanon’s general amnesty law in the Official Gazette on the same day, 15 October. The court ordered the departure of the social media personality from detention after the legal framework for the amnesty took effect. George Hanna Dib had been held in relation to charges involving the distribution of counterfeit food products. Authorities confirmed his status changed immediately upon the official enactment of the new legislation.
Background on Legal Charges
Legal proceedings against George Hanna Dib included allegations that he engaged in the manufacturing and smuggling of narcotics hidden within wafer products. These charges formed a significant component of the state’s case against the social media personality prior to his release. The specific allegation regarding the smuggling of narcotics within wafer products served as the primary basis for his detention during the period leading up to the implementation of the amnesty law.
The Constitutional Council reviewed the general amnesty law before it reached the Official Gazette. Members of the council examined a legal challenge filed against the legislation and ultimately voted to reject the petition. This rejection by the Constitutional Council was a critical procedural step that cleared the way for the government to finalize the law’s enactment on 15 October. By dismissing the challenge, the council ensured that the amnesty provisions could be applied to eligible individuals, including those awaiting trial or sentencing for various offenses.
George Hanna Dib also faced a separate domestic violence case initiated by his former wife, Shorouk. In that instance, the presiding court granted bail to George Hanna Dib earlier in October. The bail decision allowed him to remain at liberty regarding the domestic violence allegations while he awaited the resolution of his other legal matters under the new amnesty framework.
The transition from detention to release for George Hanna Dib involved the coordination of these various legal files. While the domestic violence case reached a bail agreement earlier in the month, the narcotics and counterfeit food distribution charges remained the central focus of his incarceration until the enactment of the general amnesty law. Following the publication of the law in the Official Gazette and the rejection of the legal challenge by the Constitutional Council, the Mount Lebanon Criminal Court processed the release. As of Thursday, 15 October, the social media personality was no longer in state custody, ending the period of detention that had been initiated over the allegations of manufacturing and smuggling narcotics hidden within wafer products. The legal processes involving George Hanna Dib illustrate the intersection of criminal allegations and the recent application of the national amnesty legislation.
