Lebanon's parliament has voted to lift immunity from a sitting MP for the first time in 25 years, opening the way for a former minister to face corruption charges.
Georges Bouchikian is facing allegations stemming from his time as minister of industry between 2021 and 2025. Mr Bouchikian, who is from the Armenian Tashnag party and an MP for Zahle, denies the charges.
Ninety-nine MPs voted to lift his parliamentary immunity, well over the simple majority required of those present. In the same session on Wednesday, MPs also voted to refer three former telecommunications ministers to a commission of inquiry amid corruption claims.
It was a parliamentary session marked by repeated power cuts and technical issues. With the cooling systems not working in the middle of a scorching summer day, many MPs removed their jackets.
On July 8, the Attorney General at the Court of Cassation, Jamal Hajjar, sent a request via Justice Minister Adel Nassar to parliamentary authorities to remove Mr Bouchikian's immunity so he could be questioned.
He had left Lebanon the day before for a family trip, but strongly rejected claims that he was trying to flee justice, and reiterated that he would co-operate with authorities.
“At the time of my departure, no decision had been issued to pursue legal action against me, nor was there any formal request to lift my parliamentary immunity,” he said this week.
“No one is above accountability, and no one should be denied legal protection,” he added.
The government that took office this year under Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has vowed to tackle corruption in Lebanon. A former economy minister, Amin Salam, was arrested last month following an investigation into alleged financial crimes.
