Accused politicians will not appear before a judge

Two days ago a “spontaneous” demonstration was organized in front of the house of the forensic examining magistrate for the crime of Marfa, Fadi Sawan, with the aim of supporting him. Among the protesters were faces known for their political affiliation, as well as others who really want justice without any politicization. Some of them uploaded photos of the Director General of Public Security, Major General Abbas Ibrahim, and the official of the Liaison and Coordination Unit in Hezbollah, Wafiq Safa, who is not the accused, in addition to the former minister, Deputy Ali Hassan Khalil. However, the important image that was uploaded was that of the head of the Supreme Judicial Council, Judge Suhail Abboud, attached to the phrase “Perfect for everyone.” And Abboud is the whispered judge in the halls of justice behind the latest decision by the judicial investigator, Fadi Sawan, along with the head of the Lawyers Union, Melhem Khalaf and former Minister Salim Jreissati, although Abboud objected. prior to naming Sawan as a criminal investigation (his position is recorded in the minutes of a meeting of the Judicial Council above). Subsequently, Abboud asked the judicial investigator to move from his office located in the Public Ministry of Cassation, to an office adjacent to the office of the President of the Council of the Judiciary, to be separated by an interior door.

This talk may mean nothing, but the boss who accompanied Sawan’s decision to question interim prime minister Hassan Diab and three former ministers as defendants encapsulated suspicion. If Soan had considered that the four ministers and heads of government were in the circle of the accused, he would have had no doubt of his decision. However, coinciding with the judicial accountability campaign initiated by the Free Patriotic Movement, and with no news in the investigation file for the port explosion, it decided that Hassan Diab, Ali Hassan Khalil, Youssef Fenianos and Ghazi Zaiter are indicted, as long as you listen to them on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
It is inevitable that Diab will not receive the forensic investigator. The former Minister of Finance and current Deputy Ali Hassan Khalil, the former Minister of Public Works and the current Deputy Ghazi Zuaiter will not appear before the judge, considering that “he committed a legal and constitutional violation, because he has no right to prosecute them.” Only the former minister, Youssef Fenianos, had not made up his mind until last night.

The hostile attitude towards Sawan sees his decision as suspicious in the form before the content; The political team of the former ministers believes that there is a great suspicion of electing Youssef Fenianos and Ali Hassan Khalil, asking: “Is it a message for the Americans that those who have included them in the sanctions lists have suspicions in the record of port attacks? ” This team also believes that Hassan Diab’s selection comes in the same context, as he is branded as the head of the Hezbollah government. Sources wondered: is there pressure to achieve an achievement or an announcement to satisfy a party? Now there is the conviction that the selectivity practiced is equivalent to identification with a political agenda.
Almost common among the former accused ministers is that the same judicial investigator prepared them coffee with his hands weeks ago, when he heard them as witnesses. They stayed for a few minutes, asking and answering, before reassuring them that it was clear to them that they had fulfilled their duties. Then, surprisingly, after more than a month, they are informed through the media that they will again be heard as accused.
In a call with Representative Ali Hassan Khalil asking if he would appear before the judicial investigator as a defendant, he told Al-Akhbar: “I was not informed at all. There are principles to inform and I learned from the media my call. I have said it before and I repeat that I am ready to lift immunity, but what is happening raises many questions. ” Hassan Khalil says he does not yet know the basis of the accusation or the materials in which it claims, noting that “the merchant is talking about an accusation of minor administrative negligence, but this question is from the inspection authority.” The former Minister of Finance recounts what happened with astonishment, revealing that the judicial investigator, in his hearing as a witness, asked him only one question and answered it himself. He recalls: “The investigation lasted a minute or a minute and a half, during which the judicial investigator asked me if I had referred the customs reporter to the Case Authority of the Ministry of Justice, and I answered yes. Then he told me: “You have fulfilled your duties.” He adds: “He read the question and read the answer himself, and he asked me if I was against what was written, so I said no. Then we talk about the policy and the general conditions for six or seven minutes before I leave. ” Hassan Khalil spoke of the moral responsibility of various ministers and the responsibility of judges who had not been summoned, asking: “Do we want justice or do we seek political prosecution?” The deputy from Marjayoun said: “I did my duty perfectly. I wanted to confront him because I am not negligent, but there is a constitutional problem that he caused by his argument against a deputy, while the House of Representatives is in session, criminal prosecution is prohibited.
As for Prime Minister Hassan Diab, he was informed through the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers that he was going to be summoned to hear him as an accused, and he replied that he had nothing to add to what he had previously told the Judiciary about the attack on the port. Sources close to Diab confirmed that he would not also receive the judicial investigator, returning to throw the ball in the latter’s field. Sources mentioned that Suwan Russell Diab, a few days ago, through the Public Ministry, replied that he was ready to receive it. “The judge set a date to hear him on Tuesday, but the prime minister asked him to come the same day. Diab’s sources said that “Sawan’s sudden and selective step shows the presence of a party asking him to announce some achievement.”

Only Fenianus did not make up his mind to answer Soan’s call.

As for Representative Ghazi Zuaiter, who confirmed that there is no responsibility for him, he mentioned that Judge Imad Qabalan called him to inform him of the need to appear before Judge Sawan. Zuaiter replied that the decision to attend was being considered. In a call with Al-Akhbar, Zuaiter confirmed that he would not appear before the judicial investigator “who violated the constitution.” Zuaiter recalled the events of the last session before Judge Sawan, saying: “The previous session lasted ten minutes. One and a half or two page books. He asked me if I was aware of nitrates, so I answered in the negative and said: I am ready to conduct an interview with the Director General, Abdul Hafeez Al Qaisi. Zuaiter considered that the allegation against him in this file “of which I have nothing to do, amounts to a political claim, since it is associated with the information that circulates that I will soon be included in the US sanctions lists.”
As for the former minister, Youssef Fenianos, he declined to comment. Al-Akhbar learned from sources close to him that he “does not yet know the charge”, despite the fact that the last session of interrogation as a witness lasted between 10 and 15 minutes. Sources indicated that Fenianos signed the correspondence he received on ammonium nitrate, to be sent to the Case Authority. The sources believe that Fenianos has not yet decided whether he will attend the questioning in front of Sawan or that he will abstain, and is likely to attend the hearing in case there is no news.
In the narrow corridors of the Palace of Justice it is said that Judge Sawan is experiencing a true crisis related to the nature of the file in his hands. He is convinced that the file will not go beyond criminal negligence at the latest. Consequently, public opinion will not be satisfied with any accusation. International parties are also confident in the decision to impose more sanctions on political parties. So he decided to raise the roof, present credentials on the one hand, and satisfy the political party that announced the start of the war against corruption.

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