After four years of silence, it is time to set the record straight.
In 2020, allegations surfaced on social media against Georges Azzi, co-founder and former Executive Director of AFE. In response, the Board at that time commissioned two independent expert investigations.
Both reports reached the same clear verdict: no harassment, no abuse, no misconduct.
Yet this truth was never shared with the community. Instead, the findings were blurred by remarks outside the scope of the investigations, comments on management style, communication, and social media presence, none of which were relevant to the original allegations. The result was two separate reports that, despite their differences, converged on one undeniable conclusion: the accusations, based only on a Facebook post, were baseless and suspicious in timing.
Successive boards failed to communicate these findings publicly. This silence not only harmed Georges Azzi personally, but also weakened AFE at a critical moment, allowed rumors to spread unchecked, and contributed to the organization’s eventual closure in 2023.
Today, with the release of Maha Rabbath’s analysis of the expert reports, the truth is finally public. As we look back, some of us, former staff and board members of AFE who lived through this period, acknowledge that the failure to publish the reports or to stand firmly by their findings caused immense harm.
We recognize the courage it has taken to break this silence, and we hope this step provides clarity, closure, and a foundation for future generations of activists to rebuild.
