Rifi Withdraws from Cabinet for its Failure to Refer Samaha Case to Judicial Council amid Hariri Opposition
Justice Minister Ashraf Rifi withdrew on Thursday from a cabinet session after it failed for a third time to address referring the case of former Minister Michel Samaha to the Judicial Council.
He said from the Grand Serail: “I will return to cabinet once this issue is the first article on its agenda.”
His stance was however rejected by head of the Mustaqbal Movement MP Saad Hariri.
Rifi accused certain political powers of hindering efforts to refer the case to the Judicial Council, while noting that the Kataeb ministers backed his stance.
LBCI television said that Rifi has effectively suspended his participation in government.
The minister revealed that he is weighing three options in the Samaha case.
The first calls for referring it to the International Criminal Court and the second calls for referring it to Canada seeing as the official holds Canadian citizenship.
The third option lies in turning to Spain or Belgium whose justice systems allow the pursuit of international crimes, explained LBCI.
“These options are all sound legally,” Rifi told reporters after he exited the cabinet.
“We will not act as false witnesses in such a case. Justice should be achieved in Lebanon otherwise we will never be able to build a proper nation,” he continued.
He vowed: “I will not give up until justice is achieved, no matter the cost.”
Soon after Rifi's withdrawal, Hariri announced via Twitter: “His stance does not represent me and no one should challenge us regarding the assassination of former Internal Security Forces Intelligence Bureau chief Wissam al-Hassan or the trial of Samaha.”
“Everyone who committed a crime will be punished,” he added.
Hassan was killed in a bombing in Beirut in 2012. The efforts of the Intelligence Bureau were seen as key to Samaha's arrest earlier that year.
The former minister was released from prison earlier his year under a controversial Military Court ruling that sent shockwaves across the country.
Samaha, who was information minister from 1992 to 1995, was released in exchange for a bail payment of 150 million Lebanese pounds. Under his bail conditions, Samaha, 67, was barred from leaving the country for at least one year, speaking to the press or using social media.
The ex-minister was arrested in August 2012 and charged with attempting to carry out "terrorist acts." He was sentenced in May 2015 to four-and-half years in prison, but in June, the Cassation Court nullified the verdict and ordered a retrial.
Samaha, an ex-adviser to Syrian President Bashar Assad, admitted during his trial that he had transported the explosives from Syria for use in attacks in Lebanon. He, however, argued he should be acquitted because he was a victim of entrapment by a Lebanese security services informer identified as Milad Kfoury.
M.T.
D.A.
almost 9 years
Anything that mocks and annoys March 14 officials, is indeed divine.
almost 9 years
Why so sensitive master salafi?
almost 9 years
You just indirectly admitted to be a salafi, so you are not proud if you try to deny it.
Going to act like a moderate again? Wont save you.
almost 9 years
Poor kid.
almost 9 years
Tell that to your hero salafi Fadel Shaker, he would agree with you too.
almost 9 years
because he is on the run then it justifies samaha being free... what a sense of justice you M8ers have... iranian way it is... pityful miss tic as usual
almost 9 years
Well Shaker is there for all to see, and March 14 does not give the greenlight for the army to capture him.
Only reason Assir was captured, was because of the good people at the airport security taking matters into their own hands.
almost 9 years
Nobody is hiding from STL.
STL is a zionist hollywood inspired project aswell.
Let them put Assir infront in their investigations if they caree about terrorism, ofcourse they will not do that, because that court is limited only to accuse March 8.
almost 9 years
Nobody is hiding from STL.
STL is a zionist hollywood inspired project aswell.
Let them put Assir infront in their investigations if they caree about terrorism, ofcourse they will not do that, because that court is limited only to accuse March 8.
almost 9 years
Corrupt ministers plus decadent sectarian system amount to a failed state. The Samaha fiasco is just another proof of how inept the Lebanese republic has become.
almost 9 years
Yes. This is a man of honor.
almost 9 years
@Lebexile
Agree with you...I do not see our M14 so smart as to plan such machiavellanist strategies....
Alas, on the contrary...they have lost the Northern Star...
So this was the "mighty" Rifis warning. He withdrew from cabinet.