A prominent Lebanese activist and publisher known for his public criticism of the militant group Hezbollah was found dead in his car on Thursday morning, according to the Associated Press.
Lokman Slim, 58, was a Shiite political activist and researcher. After being reported missing for hours on Wednesday night, Slim’s body was discovered in the passenger seat of his vehicle with multiple gunshot wounds up close, the AP reported.
The news of his assassination has caused political tensions in Lebanon to escalate into a spate of new assassinations.
“He carried the weight of the country on his shoulder,” Slim’s sister, Rasha al-Ameer, told AP. “To this day, in the history of Lebanon, all investigations have led to a dead end,” she continued.
According to the wire service, Slim’s wife, Monika Borgmann, asked for an international investigation into the death of her husband. “This killer should be punished,” Borgmann said.
Al-Ameer accuses Hezbollah of the murder, despite the group publicly condemning it and calling for an investigation.
In the days before he was attacked, Slim condemned Hezbollah supporters for allegedly threatening him at his home and accusing him of treason.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken
Antony Blinken Overnight Defense: new START extended for five years | Austin recommends ‘giving up’ to tackle extremism Panel recommends Biden postpone withdrawal from Afghanistan in US ‘disappointed’ by UN court ruling on case in Iran: Study group study group recommends Biden postpone withdrawal from Afghanistan MORE denounced the killings, saying it was “cowardly and unacceptable to use violence, threats and intimidation as a means of undermining the rule of law or suppressing freedom of expression and civil activism,” according to AP.
He also appealed to Lebanese officials to come to court quickly after the killers, AP reported.