Report: Lebanese-U.S. Citizens who Vote for Hizbullah Might Violate Law
Lebanese Americans who are willing to participate in the upcoming 2013 parliamentary polls might face difficulties in voting for Hizbullah candidates, An Nahar newspaper reported on Wednesday.
The U.S. law prevents any individual from conducting any form of transactions or contact with Hizbullah, which is considered a terrorist organization by the authorities, but the law doesn’t mention if voting for Hizbullah is considered an illegal act.
In April, the Lebanese cabinet approved a mechanism proposed by Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour that allows the Lebanese expats to cast their votes through their embassies or consulates.
According to An Nahar, U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) can freely interpret the U.S. penal code and apply it in regards with the country’s best foreign interests.
The daily obtained a memorandum on whether voting for Hizbullah candidates would be considered as a criminal act. The memo seeks the guidance of OFAC on whether the voting would violate the penal code.
If the OFAC didn’t give the Lebanese-U.S. citizens the approval to vote for Hizbullah candidates, the expats might be subjected to civil or criminal penalties if they participate in the elections from Lebanese consulates in the U.S.
Washington recently intensified its scrutiny of Lebanon's financial system, concerned that Syria, Iran and Hizbullah are using Beirut's banks to evade international sanctions and fund their activities.
| Copyright © 2012 Naharnet.com. All Rights Reserved. | https://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/44726 |