A new digital platform called “Gherbal” aims to break the monopoly on information and strengthen the right to access it. It offers Lebanon’s full Official Gazette archive for free. It also removes the financial and regulatory barriers imposed over past decades.
The Official Gazette publishes laws, decrees and government decisions. For years, only people who paid for printed copies or digital subscriptions could read it. The state first put the Gazette online in 2005. In 2018, however, it reversed course and introduced paid subscriptions for online access. This blocked citizens and researchers from their right to know and weakened the rule of law.
The launch comes amid ongoing calls to enforce the 2021 amendments to the Access to Information Law. These amendments explicitly require that the Gazette be open to the public without restrictions. Official steps to apply them fully have stalled. As a result, “Ghirbal” steps in as a lasting alternative.
The platform holds a huge archive spanning 105 years. It includes about 7,300 issues and more than 853,000 digital files. Users can browse every section of the Gazette. They can also download PDF files easily and at no cost.
The service goes beyond the traditional archive. It also includes an AI chatbot built to understand the full body of legislation in the Gazette. Researchers and citizens can ask precise questions about any legal article and its consequences. The chatbot gives answers within seconds. It draws on an analysis of nearly 186,000 legislative documents. This is a significant addition for journalism, research and legal work in Lebanon.
