Marwan Charbel
Minister of Interior and Municipalities
In office
13 June 2011  February 2013
Prime MinisterNajib Mikati
Preceded byZiyad Baroud
Succeeded byNohad Machnouk
Personal details
Born1947 (age 7677)
NationalityLebanese
Children3
Alma mater
Military service
RankBrigadier general

Marwan Charbel (born 1947) is a retired Lebanese brigadier general and the former minister of interior and municipalities between 2011 and 2013.[1]

Early life and education

Charbel was born in 1947.[2] He entered the military academy in 1968 and graduated as a lieutenant in 1971.[2] Then he obtained a bachelor's degree in law from Lebanese University in 1981.[3]

Career

Charbel served in various units of the Internal Security Forces.[4] Then he became a major general in the Internal Security Forces.[5] He was the advisor of caretaker interior minister Ziyad Baroud.[6]

In June 2011, he was appointed minister of interior and municipalities to the cabinet led by prime minister Najib Mikati,[7][8] replacing Ziyad Baroud in the post. Charbel was part of the group appointed by President Michel Suleiman in the cabinet.[5][9] His appointment was one of the major points significantly discussed during the negotiation process for the establishment of the cabinet.[9] He was considered to be a friends with both the Lebanese president Michel Sulaiman and the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) leader Michel Aoun.[9] In fact, he was seen as a member of FPM.[8][10]

In 2011, Charbel proposed the hybrid-system reform in regard to legislative elections to be held in 2013.[11] In February 2014, Charbel's term ended when Nouhad Machnouk was appointed to the post.[12][13]

Personal life

Charbel is married and has two sons and a daughter.[6]

Controversy

In early May 2013 Charbel stated on Al Jadeed TV that Lebanon was opposed to homosexuals (using the derogatory Arabic term for homosexuals, 'liwat') and that homosexuality was a felony in Lebanon. These remarks followed shortly after the controversial raid and closing of a gay-friendly nightclub in Dekwaneh during which it is reported that several gay men and a transgender woman were falsely arrested and abused by security forces acting on the direct instructions of the mayor of Dekwaneh, Antoine Chakhtoura.[14] Charbel's office subsequently posted a clarification on Facebook that Charbel was not passing a judgment, but was merely stating that while gay marriage was recently legalized in France it was still prohibited in Lebanon.[15]

References

  1. Mohamed Nazzal (27 April 2012). "Marwan Charbel: I'm Not Racist". Al Akhbar. Retrieved 13 October 2012.
  2. 1 2 "Marwan Charbel". Beirut. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
  3. "Lineup of Mikati's 30". The Daily Star. 14 June 2011. Retrieved 25 January 2013.
  4. Huda Al Saleh (22 March 2013). "Lebanese Interior Minister on the Syrian Conflict". Asharq Alawsat. Retrieved 5 April 2013.
  5. 1 2 "Charbel to be the minister of interior in new cabinet". Ya Libnan. 12 May 2011. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
  6. 1 2 "Charbel confirms nomination for Interior Ministry top post". The Daily Star. 13 May 2011. Retrieved 13 March 2013.
  7. Thomas El Basha (13 June 2011). "Mikati forms 30-member Lebanon Cabinet". The Daily Star. Beirut. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
  8. 1 2 "Lebanon's New Cabinet" (PDF). International Foundation for Electoral Systems. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  9. 1 2 3 "The New Lebanese Government" (PDF). Lebanese Information Center. July 2011. Archived from the original (Assessment Report) on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 13 October 2012.
  10. Sami Moubayed (22 June 2011). "Lebanese premier yet to smell victory". Asia Times. Damascus. Archived from the original on 24 June 2011. Retrieved 18 March 2013.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  11. Arda Arsenian Ekmekji (July 2012). "Confessionalism and electoral reform in Lebanon" (PDF). Aspen Institute. Retrieved 19 March 2013.
  12. "Lebanon announces new government after ten month political deadlock". Euronews. 15 February 2014. Archived from the original on 23 April 2019. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
  13. "Lebanese cabinet formed after 10-month stalemate". Al Arabiya. 15 February 2014. Retrieved 18 February 2014.
  14. "Minister of Interior declares: 'Lebanon is against sodomy'". Gay Star News. 4 May 2013. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
  15. "Statement from Ministry of Interior's press office regarding comments by Marwan Charbel". Facebook. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
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