Rights group says Lebanon electricity crisis deepens poverty

By KAREEM CHEHAYEB
Associated Press

BEIRUT (AP) — Human Rights Watch says many middle and working class families in Lebanon have been forced to spend most of their monthly income to pay shady neighborhood businessmen running private generators. Still, they go without electricity for nearly half the day, and the crisis threatens to deepen the poverty of this tiny Mediterranean country embroiled in a devastating economic meltdown. That’s according to a report by Human Rights Watch released on Thursday. It documents the struggles of over 1,200 lower-income households in Lebanon, where the state-run power company provides less than three hours of power a day. Most families told HRW they compromise on food, education, medications and other basic needs to pay for supplemental electricity.