The tragic death on Saturday of Naya Hanna, an innocent child caught in the crossfire of stray bullets, has sparked widespread outrage and a demand for stricter penalties against perpetrators.
MP Adib Abdel Massih revealed his intention to propose a law named after Naya Hanna, seeking to increase penalties for individuals firing stray shots in various settings, such as celebratory gunfire. The law would also hold property owners and event organizers accountable if they fail to surrender the shooter. “You are criminals, murderers, and terrorists, and nothing can stop you except reciprocity,” he stated.
MP Hagop Terzian also declared, “The time for condemnation is over, the time for talk is over.” He announced plans to revise laws related to firing stray bullets in the air, intending to consider every instance of such shooting as premeditated manslaughter.
Head of the Parliamentary Commission for Human Rights MP Michel Moussa questioned the senseless violence, asking, “Where is the fault of the innocent child Naya Hanna? Why should she die of stray bullets?” He called for an end to these “killing practices” and emphasized the need for swift identification and severe penalties for culprits.
MP Ghayath Yazbeck from the Strong Republic bloc echoed similar sentiments, stating, “The killers’ actions are deliberate; they direct their bullets at citizens as part of their celebration rituals.”
Yazbeck stressed, “The issue isn’t who these criminals are, but this culture of killing. And those who support and practice this culture are known.”
Calls for accountability
MP Michel Moawad, leader of the Independence Movement, questioned the competence of a State that fails to curb indiscriminate gunfire and apprehend those responsible for the death of innocent citizens. He stated, “The criminal passed his test, but the State failed its test, and Naya Hanna lost her life. How long will this destructive trio continue to exist?”
Change MP Waddah Sadek also emphasized that these perpetrators thrive in an environment where lawlessness prevails, and they remain shielded by political parties that often secure their immunity from legal consequences. Asking for accountability, Sadek said, “They fire bullets knowing that a bullet can kill, and they must be treated as criminals.”
“This is one challenge among hundreds that motivate us daily to fight for the restoration of the State, the application of laws and the elimination of the law of the jungle under which we live,” he concluded.
