Parliament sits at the first legislative session on July 26 since the parliamentary elections in May 2022. In Lebanon's male-dominated Parliament, there are only eight women Members of Parliament out of 128 MPs, four of whom belong to traditional political parties. (Credit: Ali Fawaz/Lebanese Parliament)
BEIRUT — Amnesty International condemned the fact that “women MPs in the Lebanese Parliament, especially those who criticize the authorities, are harassed by their male counterparts and by the Speaker of the Parliament himself simply because they are women in a Parliament dominated by men,” in a tweet on Wednesday.
Here’s what we know:
• “Forces of Change” MP Cynthia Zarazir released a statement on Twitter Thursday stating that it is “unfortunate that women MPs need to think of ways to protect their own physical safety in the Parliament, after the Parliament did not take any action after receiving complaints of harassment.”
• Zarazir denounced on Twitter Tuesday the lack of “respect” that she has received from other MPs since her arrival in Parliament. “Playboy magazines were in the drawer of the dirty office I was given, and I found used condoms on the floor,” Zarazir tweeted.
• “Representatives, and in particular President Nabih Berri, must take responsibility and put an end to these abuses against women, and stop encouraging a hostile environment against them,” Amnesty International also tweeted.
• The tweet concluded that the “Parliament must respect human rights and apply the law that criminalizes harassment (in Lebanon) dating from 2020!”
• In Dec. 2020, the Lebanese Parliament passed Law No. 205, which criminalizes sexual harassment and provides protections to both victims and witnesses who testify against perpetrators.
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