“Lebanon Debate”
Representative Bilal Al-Hashimi, on the sidelines of his participation in the legislative session to complete the discussion and approval of the general amnesty law, expressed in an interview with “Lebanon Debate” his hope that the general amnesty law will see the light today, saying: “We hope, God willing, that this day will be an occasion to turn the page on the past, on the part of the Islamists and others.”
He considered that the issue of long detentions that occurred “was also unacceptable,” stressing that “the reform phase must begin now in practice and not theoretically, because we need to address the issue of the judiciary that led to the accumulation of matters in this way.”
Al-Hashimi pointed out that “we have 8,500 prisoners, 7,500 of whom are detained,” considering that this reality is strange and unacceptable. He added: “Therefore, God willing, a portion of the 7,500 detainees will be released today, whether as a result of the reduction or because of long detentions, including Islamists who were subjected to great oppression during the previous period before the discretionary military court.”
Regarding the possibility of the Minister of Defense attending the session, Al-Hashimi said: “We have no problem if he attends, and God willing, on the contrary, things will be good.” He pointed out that “the attempt to exploit the issue of the Minister of Defense yesterday was unfortunate, as some tried, unfortunately, to politicize the issue and mobilize a sectarian trend.”
He stressed his position on the army, saying: “We were clear at the same time that we are with the army, we are on the side of the army, and we are among the people who call for the army to be the decision-maker for peace, war, etc., and therefore no one will outbid us.”
He continued: “They tried to play in an unclean way, but we were able to overcome this issue, and God willing, today will be the end of this issue.” He stressed that “the matters between us and the Prime Minister and the entire government, I believe, are not problematic at all, but the bidding and use of this issue were unfortunate by some representatives who took advantage of it.”
Regarding the amendments that occurred to the draft general amnesty law, after the Prime Minister announced yesterday that amendments and outstanding points had been addressed, Al-Hashimi explained: “We agreed on three basic matters, and we were destined to reach a result. We tried three months ago to reach a result, and we had a controversial point, and we said that we would settle it in the plenary session.”
He added: “Yesterday, according to what the Prime Minister announced, most of the outstanding points were addressed, and I believe that the issue today is…”
Regarding whether the amendments relate to the length of sentences, personal expungement, and the transition from 14 to 12 years, Al-Hashimi explained: “We were able to reach 12 years. With any 12-year sentence, I believe that we address the Islamists’ file to a large extent.”
He pointed out, “A number of people will remain in prison, perhaps three months, two months, or six months, but we were able to reach the conclusion that the existing and oppressed Islamist will not remain in prison indefinitely, without there being a certain horizon, but rather there will be a certain limit.”
He stressed that the representatives concerned with the file “did what they had to do,” saying: “With this file, we did what we had to do. We were seven, and everyone present, and all the Sunni representatives, agreed that this file must end.”
He added: “Yesterday we remained in the Council for a long period of time, despite the withdrawals, and we did not accept to withdraw, because this file needs good news.”
In response to the statement that this work is being done for Sheikh Ahmed Al-Assir, Al-Hashimi said: “Ahmed Al-Assir is oppressed. Yes, Ahmed Al-Assir is oppressed, and there are no files against him. The big problem, and the calamity, is that he has been detained for a long time, and there are no files or trials against him, and it is not permissible for him to remain suspended.”
He explained: “According to Article 108, Ahmed the prisoner must be released within a year of his arrest, and he has now spent 10 and a half years, or 11 years, in detention.”
He continued: “The issue is the injustice that exists among Ahmed Al-Asir, Omar Al-Atrash, and most Islamists, and this is what we are trying to address. We are trying to address a file in which the military court was largely discretionary, and discretionary towards the Sunni sect, unfortunately, and not for the sake of someone else.”
Regarding Representative Sami Gemayel’s proposal to prepare a list of the names of the beneficiaries of a special amnesty, and Representative Gebran Bassil’s position on this proposal, Al-Hashimi said: “We have arrived here, and if we want to go back and start from scratch, the matter will come back and create for us a hundred people other than Representative Sami Gemayel, and each one of them will also start proposing theories. We have reached a conclusion now, so let us proceed with this result.”
Al-Hashimi concluded by saying: “If that is the case, let us put our hands in his hand and in the hands of the youth, and grant a special pardon to the prisoner and others.”
