Journalist Dima Sadek has been sentenced to one year in prison after a libel and defamation lawsuit was filed against her by Free Patriotic Movement Leader Gebran Bassil.

Bassil's legal representative announced the decision, citing crimes of defamation and provoking sectarian strife.

Sadek spoke out against the decision, stating that the lawsuit was based on a tweet she made describing the practices of former MP Ziyad Aswad's companions as "racist".

She described the decision as a dangerous precedent against freedom of expression and vowed to continue the struggle for justice.