Lebanon lawyers see ban from union as political interference

By KAREEM CHEHAYEB
Associated Press

BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanese lawyers are increasingly alarmed by a recent ban from their union on media appearances not authorized by the syndicate, and say it amounts to political interference. The alarm was sounded again on Thursday, when the Beirut Bar Association interrogated for three hours Nizar Saghieh, a prominent activist lawyer, over his alleged violation of the ban and appearing in the media without permission from the association chief. Saghieh spoke to reporters in defiance of the decision. The head of the association, Nadir Gasbard, says the ban, issued in March, is  justified to prevent what he calls “chaos in the judiciary,” citing lawyers who frequently appear in the media and comment on publicly on unfinished cases.