Employee Tells Rifi How She was Punched by Fattoush at Justice Palace

Justice Palace employee Manal Daou on Tuesday recounted to Justice Minister Ashraf Rifi the details of the assault she endured on Monday at the hands of former minister and incumbent MP Nicolas Fattoush.

The incident has stirred a storm on social networking websites, where activists and citizens vented their anger on Fattoush and expressed solidarity with Daou, especially that the MP was behind submitting a draft law to extend the parliament's term by 31 months, following the 17-month extension in 2013.

“I was sitting behind my desk when (Fattoush), whom I didn't recognize, arrived and asked where he could file a complaint. I then directed him to where lawyers can submit their complaints and to where citizens can do so,” Daou tells Rifi at the Justice Palace, in a video aired by Future TV on Tuesday afternoon.

At that point, the MP placed a paper on the employee's desk.

“I was putting another complaint aside in order to take his complaint, and as I was looking at the paper just to understand what it is and where I was supposed to file it, he told me, 'You are a woman who lacks morals',” Daou said.

“I looked at him with surprise and told him three times, 'Excuse me, why are you speaking in this manner and who are you?'” she added.

“At that moment, his bodyguard entered the place and told me, 'Minister Fattoush',” Daou explained.

According to several media reports, Fattoush “punched” Manal on her shoulder and tried to press on with his assault before he was stopped by the other employees.

“I did not tell the president (Judge) Claude (Karam) that he tried to beat me up,” Daou tells Rifi in the video broadcast by Future TV.

MTV had on Monday reported that a “reconciliation” between Daou and Fattoush had taken place at Karam's office and that she was the one who “apologized.”

Meanwhile, Rifi stressed on Tuesday his “keenness on the dignity of the judicial and administrative employees at the justice palaces,” noting that “a probe and appropriate legal measures will be conducted.”

Y.R.

M.T.