Geagea Accuses Parliamentary Majority of Obstructing Justice

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Wednesday announced that his party’s bloc will boycott a parliamentary session scheduled for Thursday and dedicated to discussing a controversial parliamentary petition aimed at prosecuting three MPs summoned by Judge Tarek al-Bitar in the port blast probe.

"We submitted a parliamentary petition for holding a parliamentary session for looking into the investigative judge's request for lifting immunity off some MPs, but we were surprised by the call for a session tomorrow according to Article 22, not to look into the investigative judge's request but rather for looking into an illegal petition signed by some MPs to take the investigation to another track," Geagea said at a press conference.

"I have never seen a parliamentary majority that deceives its people in this manner," the LF leader added, accusing the parliamentary majority of doing all it can to obstruct justice.

Calling on "free" MPs from all blocs to join the boycott campaign, Geagea noted that should the session be held, it would be "a hallmark of shame on parliament's forehead forever."

Bitar is demanding that parliament lift the immunity of three ex-ministers who are current MPs so he can proceed with investigations, but lawmakers have requested more evidence before deciding on whether to waive immunity. 

Bitar has rejected parliament's request for more evidence while the legislature has decided to refer the case to the Higher Council for the Trial of Presidents and Ministers -- a body that consists of eight judges and seven MPs.

The Council was only activated twice in Lebanon's history -- in 1993 and 1999.

Geagea noted Wednesday that never in the world's history has a case been tackled by two bodies in the same country, describing the endeavor of some blocs as a blatant attempt to obstruct justice.