The Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc on Tuesday called for a “transparent probe” into the recent incident in the Bekaa town of Arsal that left two army soldiers and a suspect dead.
In a statement issued after its weekly meeting, the bloc urged President Michel Suleiman, the government and the judicial authorities to launch a “fair and transparent investigation in order to unveil the circumstances, starting with the death of the victim Khaled Hmayyed.”
Full StoryMP Butros Harb condemned on Tuesday General Prosecutor Judge Hatem Madi's request to strip him of his parliamentary immunity, accusing him of collaborating with Hizbullah to cover up the accused in the assassination attempt against him.
He said during a press conference: “I will file a lawsuit against Madi and I will make his case an example to introduce reform in Lebanon”
Full StoryProgressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat rejected on Tuesday attempts to shove the eastern border town of Arsal in a direct confrontation with the Lebanese army, which aims at creating incitement and destabilizing the country.
The Druze leader called on the Lebanese to support the army and to consolidate its patriotic role.
Full StoryPrime Minister Najib Miqati called on Tuesday for the impartiality of the judiciary and stressed that the freedom of expression of lawmakers shouldn't be targeted.
“We reiterate our call to keep the Lebanese judiciary away from the political differences and stress that it should be allowed to carry out its work with absolute impartiality away from any sort of influence,” Miqati told a delegation visiting him at the Grand Serail.
Full StoryBatroun MP Butros Harb lauded on Saturday State commissioner to the military court Judge Saqr Saqr for “taking the bold decision” to charge Mahmoud Hayek with the attempt on his life.
Saqr “took a courageous decision given the pressure ... exerted by Hizbullah on the judiciary by striking deals at the expense of justice and the investigation,” Harb told al-Joumhouria newspaper.
Full StoryState commissioner to the military court Judge Saqr Saqr charged on Friday Mahmoud Hayek with attempted assassination of MP Butros Harb in July 2012.
Hayek is also charged with carrying out terrorist activity.
Full StoryFree Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun renewed on Tuesday his support for the Orthodox Gathering parliamentary electoral law.
He said after the Change and Reform bloc's weekly meeting: “I will reject any electoral draft law besides the Orthodox proposal that does not offer fair representation among the sects.”
Full StoryThe March 14 opposition's independent Christian officials vowed on Tuesday to confront attempts to cancel this year's parliamentary elections and reiterated their call for the adoption of a draft-law that represents all Lebanese fairly.
“We will exert all efforts to confront the attempt to cancel or postpone the elections,” the officials said in a statement following a meeting they held at Batroun MP Butros Harb's residence in Hazmieh.
Full StoryIndependent figures affiliated in the March 14 alliance rejected on Thursday the adoption of the Orthodox Gathering's proposed electoral draft law in the upcoming parliamentary elections, saying it harms Christians, national unity and coexistence.
“We reject any electoral law that doesn't rectify the political representation, in particular, for Christians,” MP Butros Harb told reporters after a meeting held at his residence in Hazmieh with independent officials in the opposition.
Full StoryPrime Minister Najib Miqati urged on Wednesday the judiciary to swiftly issue the indictment in the case of former Minister Michel Samaha, who is accused along with two Syrian officials of forming a criminal gang aimed at carrying out attacks in Lebanon at Syria's behest.
General Prosecutor Judge Hatem Madi briefed Miqati on the jurisdiction work concerning several cases during a meeting at the Grand Serail.
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