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Why Lebanon's 'You Stink' movement lost momentum

The Lebanese popular movement to fight corruption in the political class has faced a number of setbacks.

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Activist Waref Suleiman rests in his tent during a hunger strike calling on Environment Minister Mohammed Machnouk to resign over Lebanon's trash-disposal crisis, in front of the Environment Ministry in downtown Beirut, Sept. 3, 2015. — REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir

In an act of desperation, young Mohamed Haraz set himself on fire before the Lebanese military court Oct. 16 in protest of the decision to keep activists Waref Suleiman and Pierre al-Hashash under arrest.

The two activists were accused of inciting people to riot during an Oct. 8 demonstration. The protest was one of a series of other popular protests in the streets of Beirut since August 2015, sparked by the garbage crisis, government paralysis and rampant corruption at all levels in the state.

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