Lebanese President Joseph Aoun

Lebanon`s Prosecutor of the Court of Cassation has summoned journalist Hassan Illaik to appear before the Criminal Investigation Department following his recent criticism of President Joseph Aoun in a social media video.

In the video, Illaik asserted that in a properly functioning state, Aoun would be subject to investigation rather than being elected.

Illaik specifically condemned President Aoun for ordering the Lebanese army`s deployment in southern Lebanon on the day of a ceasefire, arguing that this action failed to prevent Israeli forces from advancing in previously contested areas.

Illaik has accused Judge Jamal Hajjar, the prosecutor, of acting under political pressure, claiming that the summons aims to curry favor with the presidency.

Lebanese journalist Hassan Illaik summoned to court for criticizing Lebanon's President, Joseph Aoun
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Lebanon's Prosecutor of the Court of Cassation has summoned journalist Hassan Illaik to appear before the Criminal Investigation Department following a video in which he… pic.twitter.com/QLIPhdMBlB

— The Cradle (@TheCradleMedia) January 22, 2026

He has labeled the legal action as intimidation, expressing his readiness to face arrest or imprisonment.

"I am ready to die defending my people and my cause. Do you really think you will frighten me by threatening detention? I welcome prison. I promise you that I will not be silent-neither about others, nor about you," Illaik stated on the platform X on Thursday.

Following a ceasefire announced in November 2024, the Israeli army was required to fully withdraw from southern Lebanon this January. However, the withdrawal was only partial, with military forces still stationed at five border outposts.

Since the ceasefire, the Israeli army continues to carry out near-daily airstrikes in southern Lebanon, reportedly aimed at Hezbollah members and the resistance movement`s infrastructure. The regime has killed at least 435 people in Lebanon, according to the health ministry.

The Israeli army`s offensives, launched in October 2023 and escalating into a full-scale offensive by September 2024, have resulted in the deaths of over 4,000 individuals and left nearly 17,000 others injured in Lebanon.