Explosion in Beirut: Hassan Diab refuses to appear before the prosecutor who indicted him

Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab has resigned.

AP - Bilal Hussein

Text by: RFI Follow

2 min

In Lebanon, the resigning Prime Minister Hassan Diab on Monday refused to be questioned by the prosecutor Fadi Sawan, who indicted him last week for negligence and misconduct in connection with the investigation into the explosion of 4 August at the port of Beirut.

This tragedy, we remember, left 200 dead, more than 6500 wounded and destroyed part of the Lebanese capital.

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With our correspondent in Beirut

Paul Khalifeh

In the wake of his indictment last week, Hassane Diab said it was not his person who was targeted, but the post of Prime Minister, attributed to a Sunni in the Lebanese confessional system.

This defense, which plays on the confessional fiber, has paid off.

The Sunni community has united behind Lu.

The former prime ministers, the mufti of the Republic, the highest Sunni religious body in the country, and many political figures of this community have risen up like a bulwark to refuse what they consider to be "

an attack

" on the post. head of government.

Recalling that he had already answered questions from prosecutor Fadi Sawan in August, Hassan Diab believes that his indictment violates the provisions of the Constitution.

The law provides that presidents, heads of government, ministers and deputies can only be judged by a special court created by Parliament.

Prosecutor Fadi Sawan has set another date for next Friday to hear the Prime Minister.

But there is little chance that Hassan Diab will change his mind by then.

The interior minister, also a Sunni, has announced that he will refuse to arrest Hassan Diab if prosecutor Fadi Sawan orders it.

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  • Lebanon

  • Hassan diab

  • Justice