Lebanon: indictment of head of government Hassane Diab strongly criticized
A view of the Port of Beirut after the explosion of 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate that left 200 people dead and more than 6,500 injured (illustrative image).
© REUTERS / Mohamed Azakir
Text by: RFI Follow
3 min
Lebanese prosecutor Fady Sawan, in charge of the investigation into the double explosion at the port of Beirut, which left 200 dead and more than 6,500 injured, on August 4, 2020, took, Thursday, December 10, an unprecedented decision in the history of Lebanon.
He indicted a sitting Prime Minister and three former ministers for "negligence and misconduct which led to the death of hundreds of people".
But this measure, which no doubt meets the expectations of public opinion, has been criticized by the press and by part of the political class.
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With our correspondent in Beirut,
Paul Khalifeh
L'Orient-Le Jour
considers that the indictment of the head of government Hassane Diab constitutes "
an additional shock
" which is added to "
the succession of inextricable crises
" which punctuate Lebanese political life.
Al-Akhbar
, close to Hezbollah, did not spare the magistrate, accusing him of not having made progress in the investigation and of petting public opinion in the direction of the hair.
Prosecutor Fady Sawan is looking for “
scapegoats
” without political backing, writes the newspaper, referring to Hassane Diab who is isolated within his Sunni community.
"
Selective political indictments
"
Al Liwaa
denounces “
selective political indictments
” and writes that the prosecutor's decision risks “
undermining the calm in the country
”.
The newspaper, spokesperson for the Sunnis, evokes "
unprecedented divisions which will have an impact on the Lebanese political regime based on the separation of powers
".
Hassane Diab will not respond to the summons to justice, assures the daily, echoing the Prime Minister who hinted that he would not agree to be questioned by the prosecutor because his decision violates the provisions of the Constitution.
"
Two weights, two measures
"
This same argument was echoed by one of the accused, the former Shiite Minister of Finance Ali Hassan Khalil.
A former Prime Minister, Nagib Mikati, denounced the justice "
of the two weights, two measures
", practiced by the magistrate.
►
See also: Explosion in Beirut: resigning Prime Minister Hassan Diab indicted for negligence
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