Parliament prepares immunity vote: Will political shield protect MP George Bouchikian?
A critical phase has begun in the legal proceedings involving MP and former Minister George Bouchikian, with the matter now officially in the hands of Parliament.
The case began when Justice Minister Adel Nassar submitted a formal request to the Parliament seeking permission to prosecute Bouchikian.
The request was accompanied by a memorandum from Lebanon's top public prosecutor outlining the nature of the offense, the time and place of the suspected crime, and a summary of the evidence that requires urgent judicial action.
The request was placed on the desk of Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who has now taken procedural steps by convening a special session on Friday that brought together the Bureau of Parliament and the Administration and Justice Committee.
Following that meeting, a joint decision was made to form a smaller subcommittee tasked with reviewing the evidence. The subcommittee has two weeks to submit its findings in a report that will assess whether the evidence merits lifting Bouchikian's parliamentary immunity or whether political motives may be influencing the case.
Once the subcommittee's report is submitted, the matter will be referred to the entire Parliament, which will vote on it in its next scheduled session. A simple majority is required to lift immunity—defined as half of the members present plus one, with a quorum of at least 65 MPs.
For example, if 80 lawmakers attend the session, at least 41 must vote in favor of lifting immunity for the motion to pass.
All eyes are now on the Parliament to see whether it will allow the judiciary to proceed or whether, once again, political considerations will override judicial accountability.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
LBCI
9 hours ago
- LBCI
Lebanon announces new BDL Deputy Governors
The Cabinet has announced the new Deputy Governors for the Banque du Liban (BDL), who are Wassim Mansouri, Makram Bou Nassar, Salim Chahine, and Gaby Chinozian. It was also declared that the head of the National Commission for the Forcibly Disappeared is Judge Joseph Samaha.
LBCI
9 hours ago
- LBCI
Lebanon, Syria at odds: Syrian detainees in Lebanon top priority for Damascus
Report by Petra Abou Haidar, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has threatened diplomatic and economic escalation against Lebanon over what he described as continued neglect of the issue of Syrian detainees held in Lebanese prisons. According to several unofficial Syrian media outlets, Damascus is reportedly considering a series of gradual measures, including suspending certain security and economic channels, closing border crossings, and imposing restrictions on the movement of Lebanese trucks. However, other Syrian media sources have denied any intention by the Syrian government to take escalatory steps against Lebanon. Amid the conflicting reports, an official Syrian position emerged, affirming that the fate of Syrian detainees in Lebanon is a priority for Damascus and should be resolved swiftly through formal bilateral channels. While the Syrian government has clarified its stance, sources suggest that Syrian Foreign Minister Assad Al-Shibani, who postponed a previously scheduled visit to Beirut due to the Iranian-Israeli conflict, is now conditioning his visit on tangible progress in the detainees' case and a formal decision by Lebanese authorities to release the prisoners. According to information obtained by LBCI, Syria expects the Lebanese government and judiciary to make concrete advancements in resolving the matter before it agrees to high-level talks or dispatches a delegation to Beirut. On the Lebanese side, government sources point to an earlier goodwill gesture, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam's visit to Syria, during which the detainee file was discussed with Syrian officials. Both sides had agreed on the need to engage in direct dialogue to review the status of the detainees. However, Lebanese officials argue that a blanket release of all detainees is not legally feasible. Some cases qualify for release, while others do not, and a thorough legal review is required to assess each file. The sources confirm that a joint Lebanese-Syrian committee was established to follow up on the matter. Yet, they note that the Syrian side has yet to take any initiative through this committee or show a willingness to hold coordination meetings. As a result, Lebanon remains cautious and insists that any further steps must be based on a transparent legal framework and the Justice Ministry's established plan for handling all detainees in Lebanese prisons. Beirut is holding firm on moving forward through the joint committee, emphasizing a structured and lawful approach to addressing the issue.
LBCI
9 hours ago
- LBCI
Parliament prepares immunity vote: Will political shield protect MP George Bouchikian?
Report by Joe Farchakh, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi A critical phase has begun in the legal proceedings involving MP and former Minister George Bouchikian, with the matter now officially in the hands of Parliament. The case began when Justice Minister Adel Nassar submitted a formal request to the Parliament seeking permission to prosecute Bouchikian. The request was accompanied by a memorandum from Lebanon's top public prosecutor outlining the nature of the offense, the time and place of the suspected crime, and a summary of the evidence that requires urgent judicial action. The request was placed on the desk of Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who has now taken procedural steps by convening a special session on Friday that brought together the Bureau of Parliament and the Administration and Justice Committee. Following that meeting, a joint decision was made to form a smaller subcommittee tasked with reviewing the evidence. The subcommittee has two weeks to submit its findings in a report that will assess whether the evidence merits lifting Bouchikian's parliamentary immunity or whether political motives may be influencing the case. Once the subcommittee's report is submitted, the matter will be referred to the entire Parliament, which will vote on it in its next scheduled session. A simple majority is required to lift immunity—defined as half of the members present plus one, with a quorum of at least 65 MPs. For example, if 80 lawmakers attend the session, at least 41 must vote in favor of lifting immunity for the motion to pass. All eyes are now on the Parliament to see whether it will allow the judiciary to proceed or whether, once again, political considerations will override judicial accountability.
