Under the title ‘What future for Lebanon? And the role of the European Union in promoting human rights in Lebanon’, a conference was held on Tuesday evening (27 June) at the headquarters of the European Union in Brussels. The event was attended by MEPs, judges, and officials who gathered to show their support for Omar Harfouch, the leader of the Lebanese Third Republic initiative. Harfouch has been facing political and judicial repression due to his relentless fight against corruption in Lebanon.
The conference was held at the invitation of Lucas Mandel, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and was attended by several notable figures. These included Judge Ghada Aoun, the prosecutor of Mount Lebanon; Andre Petrojev, a member of the Foreign Relations Committee; Natalie Gaulier, a member of the French Senate; William Bourdon, the founder of the organization “Sherpa” and a lawyer; Giovanni Kessler, former Director-General of OLAF and former Italian Member and Magistrate; Pedro Roque, a Portuguese MP; Antonio Topa Gomes, a Portuguese MP; as well as representatives from various European countries.
Claude Moniquet stated that Harfouch had been targeted by an organized and unjust plan, emphasizing that there was no valid reason for his arrest. Moniquet called upon the European Union to intervene and revoke the arrest warrant issued against Harfouch by the Prime Minister of Lebanon, as this action denies him the opportunity to defend himself in accordance with the law.
It is important to note that the nature of the case is civil, not criminal. Moreover, the accusations of Harfouch being in contact with Israelis or Jews within the European Parliament are a grave insult to the European Union, which prides itself on being a place where people of all nationalities and religions can come together. Lawyer William Bourdon, who recently returned from a visit to Beirut, addressed the issue of fighting corruption in Lebanon.
He discussed the crimes committed by Riad Salameh, the governor of the Banque du Liban, as well as the frozen funds in Europe, which he personally oversaw and exposed. Bourdon further revealed that the upcoming days would bring unpleasant surprises for certain politicians involved in cases of corruption and money laundering.
Judge Ghada Aoun, who is currently facing persecution due to her fight against corrupt judges in Lebanon, emphasized that true justice is essential for the existence of the Lebanese state. She considered the treatment of Harfouch as the strongest evidence of corruption within the judicial system.
Giovanni Kessler, in his support for Harfouch and other Lebanese individuals battling corruption, stated that Lebanon urgently requires increased attention and assistance to restore the rule of law and combat the corruption that has devastated the country. As a significant contributor, the European Union has the ability to advocate for the establishment of a joint EU-Lebanon investigative authority. This authority would possess the necessary powers to conduct independent investigations into corruption and the misuse of EU funds in Lebanon.
During his speech, Harfouch discussed his case in the military court, specifically highlighting that the court’s actions against him lacked depth and failed to consider the passage of time. He pointed out that the meeting with an Israeli journalist occurred in 2004 and emphasized that his fight against corruption has exposed numerous scandals and cases.
Interestingly, Harfouch did not mention the prime minister, Najib Mikati, or the first investigative judge of Tripoli, Samaranda Nassar, who are currently engaged in an unjustified campaign against him. When asked about this omission, he explained that he did not wish to exploit the platform provided by the European Union to score personal points. Instead, he believed that the attendees who were informed about the issues and outcomes could draw their own conclusions.
The conference was held at the invitation of Lucas Mandel, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and was attended by several notable figures. These included Judge Ghada Aoun, the prosecutor of Mount Lebanon; Andre Petrojev, a member of the Foreign Relations Committee; Natalie Gaulier, a member of the French Senate; William Bourdon, the founder of the organization “Sherpa” and a lawyer; Giovanni Kessler, former Director-General of OLAF and former Italian Member and Magistrate; Pedro Roque, a Portuguese MP; Antonio Topa Gomes, a Portuguese MP; as well as representatives from various European countries.
Judge Ghada Aoun, who is currently facing persecution due to her fight against corrupt judges in Lebanon, emphasized that true justice is essential for the existence of the Lebanese state. She considered the treatment of Harfouch as the strongest evidence of corruption within the judicial system.