Berri: No Immunity For Wrongdoers In The Beirut Explosion

The Indian Express | Prensa Latina

Referring to the latest developments in the Beirut blast investigation, Lebanese Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri expressed in a written statement that no immunity will be granted to wrongdoers in the Beirut Explosion case.

Over a week ago, Beirut blast investigator Judge Tarek Bitar requested lifting the parliamentary immunity of MPs Ali Hassan Khalil, Ghazi Zeaiter, and Nouhad Machnouk, and asked to investigate several other political and security officials. 

Berri‘s statement comes days after it was decided, in a joint meeting between the Parliament and the Administration and Justice Committee in Ain el-Tineh, to delay lifting immunities of the three former ministers. 

In his statement, Berri assured that the Parliament would cooperate with the judiciary “to the utmost level, under the ceiling of the law and constitution.”

“Immunity is solely for the blood of the martyrs and for the country, human dignity, the constitution, and the law, not for the law of the jungle,” he said.

It’s worth noting that MPs Ali Hassan Khalil, Ghazi Zeaiter, and Nouhad Machnouk have earlier announced that they were willing to appear before Judge Bitar, despite previously evading the summon by former blast investigator Judge Sawan.