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Lebanon's overseas ministry said Saturday it would nonstop an probe squad to Paris pursuing reports that Beirut's ambassador to France, Rami Adwan, has been accused of rape and intentional violence.

Issued on: 03/06/2023 - 19:44

1 min

A representation taken connected August 5, 2020 shows the Lebanese embassy successful Paris, with the nationalist emblem flying astatine half-mast 1 time aft a deadly detonation astatine Beirut’s main port. A representation taken connected August 5, 2020 shows the Lebanese embassy successful Paris, with the nationalist emblem flying astatine half-mast 1 time aft a deadly detonation astatine Beirut’s main port. © Stephane de Sakutin, AFP

The French probe into Adwan followed complaints by 2 erstwhile embassy employees, sources adjacent to the probe had told AFP, confirming an earlier media report.

The French authorities has urged the Lebanese authorities to assistance Adwan's diplomatic immunity and let him to spell connected trial.

The Lebanese overseas ministry has decided to "urgently nonstop an probe committee headed by the ministry's secretary-general... to the embassy successful Paris to question the acrophobic ambassador and perceive statements from embassy staff", it said successful a statement.

The committee volition conscionable with French authorities "to clarify that which was reported successful the media and which was not communicated to the Lebanese overseas ministry via diplomatic channels", the connection added.

The archetypal erstwhile employee, aged 31, filed her ailment successful June 2022 for a rape she says was committed successful May 2020 successful the ambassador's backstage apartment, according to sources adjacent to the probe confirming a Mediapart report.

According to the complaint, she had a narration with the ambassador, who carried retired "psychological and carnal unit with regular humiliations".

The 2nd woman, aged 28, made a ailment past February aft what she said was a bid of carnal attacks aft she turned down intersexual relations.

She claims Adwan tried to deed her with his car aft an statement connected the sidelines of past year's Normandy World Peace Forum.

"In presumption of the seriousness of the facts mentioned, we see it indispensable for the Lebanese authorities to assistance the immunity of the Lebanese ambassador successful Paris successful bid to facilitate the enactment of the French judicial authorities," the French overseas ministry told AFP precocious Friday.

Adwan's lawyer Karim Beylouni has said that his lawsuit "contests each accusations of aggression successful immoderate signifier oregon form: verbal, moral, sexual".

He said Adwan had had "romantic relationships" with the 2 women betwixt 2018 and 2022 that were "punctuated by arguments and breakups".

(AFP)

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