Rifi Blames Hizbullah for 'Roumieh Abuse Media Leaks' as Party Rejects 'Baseless' Accusations

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Justice Minister Ashraf Rifi accused Hizbullah of seeking to create differences between him and Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq following a scandal at the country's largest and most infamous prison.

The party later rejected the claims.

“This campaign aims at targeting the moderate Sunnis, their unity and leadership,” said Rifi in comments published in several local newspapers on Tuesday.

“They have been launching a campaign for the past three months to shove me into a dispute with Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq,” he said.

Rifi's remarks came two days after videos emerged showing guards beating detainees at Roumieh prison.

The minister later held talks with Mashnouq after which he reiterated his accusations against the party, saying that it had leaked the videos to the media.

“I will stand true to this accusation,” he declared.

“We must exert massive efforts to improve Roumieh Prison,” he added.

For his part, Mashnouq said that those who commit errors would be “held accountable by the law, not the media or insults.”

Hizbullah later issued a statement denying the accusations, deeming them as “baseless”

“It is unfortunate that we are living in a country where a justice minister would make accusations without any evidence,” it added

“He should instead ensure that all people are operating under the law and judicial authorities,” it continued.

“It is shameful that the main accused in this case, meaning Rifi, would shy away from his responsibilities before his conscience, the law, and the public, and lay blame on others,” said Hizbullah.

Pro-Hizbullah al-Akhbar newspaper accused the justice minister on Monday of leaking the video to avenge al-Mashnouq, whom he reportedly sees as a moderate and not acting in favor of Roumieh prison's Islamists.

“The trumpets of Hizbullah and (Syrian President) Bashar Assad are stupid because they haven't learned from the past when for long eight years they tried to stir problems between me and Brig. Gen. Wissam al-Hasan,” Rifi said.

“They eventually failed in reaching their objectives,” he told the newspapers.

Al-Hasan was the chief of the Intelligence Bureau of the Internal Security Forces who was killed in a bombing in Beirut's Ashrafieh district in 2012.

G.K./M.T.

Comments 15
Thumb EagleDawn 23 June 2015, 09:16

Al Akhbar is as credible as when mowaten says he is Lebanese, secular, and unbiased. Has there been one report I mean one single measly report by Al Akbar that was corroborated by events. The answer my friends is none!

Thumb _mowaten_ 23 June 2015, 12:53

I never said I was unbiased eagledown, for the rest, you can believe it or not, I don't really care. The only thing I don't understand is why you care so much and have become obsessed with it & with me that you quote me in every comment you make.

Missing imagine_1979 23 June 2015, 16:18

Georges hawi was a marxist, kassir was a leftist, rajab how got assissnated after torutre today in assad jail in tartous was a communist...
Don't overgeneralise terorist....there is a lot leftists who share ur sence of independance, freedome and democracy...non sectarian, not defending assad the dictator and its subjects nor sectarian hezbollah...

Thumb mahdi-firuz-berhouz 23 June 2015, 09:51

hahahahahaha! even when you change screen names we all know it is you and you know why? a legend cannot change his style and his wit and choice of words are testimony to his greatness. No body like you flamesrower. My boss and my Sri Lankan maid adore you .... somesing anazar flamesrower!:)

Thumb Mystic 23 June 2015, 13:38

Rifis renowned torture chambers in Roumieh are on his neck. His ISF militia have their own special ways.

Missing imagine_1979 23 June 2015, 16:19

Hezbos are still blamong omar and co for decenies, they still name their batles "lobayka ya hussein" no?....
Retard....

Thumb _mowaten_ 23 June 2015, 16:25

lol "imagine", so it's a religious thing for rifi to blame assad?

Missing imagine_1979 23 June 2015, 16:22

He blamed hezbos for putting the videos online to created strife, u remember the amsar el Sunna account few monthes ago?... I wonder what is curently doing the nice hezbo guy who used to manage this nice blog?...
Also retard....

Thumb _mowaten_ 23 June 2015, 16:27

loool, yea, HA put it online, surely to anger the sunnis and create more extremists, the logic is strong with you. not.

Thumb EagleDawn 23 June 2015, 18:54

mowaten used to post under alias @crush now he evolved into @7up;) Amazing what a troll can do!

Missing iranian.patriot 23 June 2015, 16:24

@seven.up
have a sprite and you will get it

Default-user-icon illegitimate&illiterate.southern (Guest) 23 June 2015, 18:51

point well made and poetic and great.

Thumb EagleDawn 23 June 2015, 18:54

and how many of these "diwaniyahs" have you attended and/or witnessed?

Thumb freedomarch 24 June 2015, 02:48

Allahma3ak Ya batal, El I3tidal Hammak w 7izbolah Hadafak.
God bless our M14 heros. God bless Ashraf Rifi and Nuhad alMashnouq.

Thumb -phoenix1 24 June 2015, 17:19

Must we Lebanese fight it so bitterly over everything? For God's sake, a few IS and Al Nusra terrorist prisoners got beaten up, fine, so what? What is it compared to their utter cruelty? Do they these sods give any chance to those they capture? Ma3leysh, ma la 7i sirloun shi, I like this method, "frappez avant de parler"". Now let's go back to our normal lives shall we, they are not worth the argument.