Justice Minister Ashraf Rifi announced his support to the barter in the issue of the kidnapped soldiers, rejecting on the other hand to “push” the army into the Syrian war through coordination with the Syrian army.

Rifi said in talks to al-Liwaa newspaper that the release of the abducted soldiers is a priority to the parliament, and he is with barter to free them.

Justice Minister Ashraf Rifi on Saturday stressed that the case of the captive troops is “the top priority in Lebanon,” describing their abduction as a “black point in the course of the Syrian revolution.”

“The case of the captives is the top priority in Lebanon, at the level of the government, military and security institutions, and all political sectors,” Rifi said as he visited the Qalamun highway to express solidarity with families of captive troops, who have been staging a sit-in there for days now.

The Qaida-linked al-Nusra Front on Thursday poured cold water on recent optimism in Lebanon over the case of the captive troops, noting that it has not pledged not to execute more soldiers, only hours after the Lebanese government said it expects positive news “in the coming days.”

“Recent reports on Lebanese media outlets alleging that we have pledged not to kill any captive soldier are baseless, and no one is authorized to represent us or negotiate on our behalf,” the group said in a statement published on its official Twitter account.

Minister of Justice Ashraf Rifi on Monday committed himself to speed up the trials of the Islamist prisoners in Roumieh jail, amid political appeals to the judiciary to finalize this file on hope that it may reflect positively on the case of the kidnapped soldiers.

“Justice stops all kinds of chaos, violence and revenge; organizes the relationship between citizens and their government; and protects their rights, dignity and citizenship,” Rifi said in a statement addressed to the judicial authority on the occasion of the new judicial year.

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat questioned on Sunday the delay and stalling in the trials of Islamist inmates held in Roumieh Prison.

He demanded that a speedy trial be held for them, revealing that a judge had informed him that should swift measures be taken, the proceedings would take a few days to complete.

Justice Minister Ashraf Rifi considered on Monday that putting Islamist inmates on trial is a “national and humanitarian” demand, revealing that the Judicial Council upped its efforts to wrap up the matter.

The minister denied that the trials were put at the forefront due to the pressing demands by the Islamist gunmen, who have taken hostage several policemen and soldiers after they overran the northeastern border town of Arsal in August.

Justice Minister Ashraf Rifi stressed on Sunday that the country is passing through a critical stage, however, he pointed out that it will not have an impact on the solidarity between Christians and Muslims.

“I denounce the writings on the churches in (the northern city of) Tripoli,” Rifi said during a visit to Mar Elias Church that was vandalized by unknown assailants recently.

MP Ibrahim Kanaan has reportedly agreed with Justice Minister Ashraf Rifi and General Prosecutor Judge Samir Hammoud to suspend the summonses issued against several young men who have burned the Islamic State group's flag in Beirut.

Rifi had asked Hammoud to investigate the case when a video showing several men burning the IS flag in Ashrafieh's Sassine square was circulated on social media.

Electricite du Liban contract workers prevented on Thursday full-time employees from entering the premises of the company's headquarters in Beirut's Mar Mikhael area.

“The actions undertaken by the contract workers are outrageous,” the company's Director General Kamal al-Hayek told reporters gathered outside the building.

Justice Minister Ashraf Rifi vowed to legally pursue a number of protesters who set ablaze a flag for the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).

The minister said in a statement issued by his press office that the ISIL flag has the first pillar of Islam (Ashahada) written on it, which is the testimony that there is no God except for Allah and Mohammed is the messenger of Allah.