Charbel Says Qatar Renewed Pledge to Win Release of Kidnapped Bishops

Caretaker Interior Minister Marwan Charbel has said Qatari officials informed him that they were exerting strong efforts to win the release of two bishops kidnapped in Syria.

In remarks to An Nahar daily published on Thursday, Charbel said the officials stressed to him that Doha was working with persistence to resolve the case of Bishops Youhanna Ibrahim and Boulos Yazigi, who were kidnapped by armed men in Syria in April.

Charbel accompanied caretaker Premier Najib Miqati to Doha on a one-day visit on Wednesday.

Charbel said that the promises he has received from the Qatari officials gave him hope that the case of the bishops would have a happy ending.

The caretaker minister told An Nahar that a high-ranking Qatari officer has been tasked with following up the issue with Lebanon’s General Security chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim.

Qatar's Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, had previously told several Lebanese officials that Doha was working on resolving the case of the bishops.

Charbel confirmed that Doha expressed readiness to provide assistance to Lebanon in several fields, mainly the Syrian refugees.

Asked about the the brawl between al-Jadeed TV crew and security officers at the downtown Beirut Customs office on Tuesday, Charbel said it was up to the judiciary to settle the case.

He rejected making accusations against the Customs in addition to using excessive force against journalists.

On Tuesday, al-Jadeed reporters were assaulted by security officers at the Customs office after one of the journalists used a megaphone to demand an interview with the acting director of Customs General Directorate, Shafiq Merhi, about alleged corruption.

Following a lawsuit filed by the TV station, the Central Criminal Investigations Department questioned the crew under the supervision of acting State Prosecutor Judge Samir Hammoud for several hours before releasing them.

A statement from the Customs said that the journalist used degrading language, adding it was not the appropriate manner to request an interview.

Customs agents held a one-day strike on Wednesday in support of Merhi.