Lebanon recalls ambassador to France amid rape allegations

Lebanon's ministry of foreign affairs (MFA) announced on Thursday that it was recalling Ambassador Rami Adwan from France following an investigation into allegations of rape and intentional violence made against him.

The move came after Beirut sent a team to Paris to question Adwan and gather statements from embassy staff after two former embassy employees filed complaints against him in France.

A Lebanese foreign ministry statement announced it would replace Adwan with Ziad Taan, who has been given the role of chargé d'affaires of the diplomatic mission.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates announces that, following the developments surrounding the case of Lebanon's Ambassador to France, and in light of the investigation team dispatched from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates to the embassy in Paris, Ambassador Rami Adwan has been summoned to the Central Administration," the MFA said in a statement on Twitter.

١)تعلن وزارة الخارجية والمغتربين بأنه متابعةً للملابسات المحيطة بقضية سفير لبنان لدى فرنسا، و في ضوء انتقال لجنة التحقيق الموفدة من وزارة الخارجية والمغتربين الى السفارة في باريس، تقرر استدعاء السفير رامي عدوان الى الادارة المركزية،

— Mofa Lebanon (@Mofalebanon) June 8, 2023

Paris had urged Lebanon to remove Adwan's immunity so he can face trial over  the allegations.

AFP reported earlier this week that a 31-year-old former embassy employee reported a rape allegedly occurred in May 2020 in Adwan's private apartment.

She claimed to have been subjected to psychological and physical violence along with daily humiliations during her relationship with the ambassador.

A second woman, aged 28, lodged a complaint against Adwan in February, alleging a series of physical attacks after she refused to engage in sexual relations.