Lebanese comic fights for survival after free-speech sanctions

Samandal launches crowdfunding campaign to save itself after editors convicted and fined for ‘denigrating religion’

A Lebanese satirical comic last week threw what may prove to be either its final launch party – or the first of its resurrection. The event marked Samandal magazine’s attempt to crowdfund its way out of oblivion after three of its editors were convicted of crimes against religion and fined for their work, nearly putting the experimental comics collective out of business.

For five years, editors of the Beirut-based magazine kept fairly quiet about their legal troubles.

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