On June 16, Lebanese activist Dalia Obeid filed a complaint against Lebanon’s ambassador to France Rami Adwan, accusing him of assault, which according to her took place on June 27, 2022.

That day, Obeid and two other members of Justice and Equality for Lebanon (JEL) hung posters on the doors and walls of the Lebanese embassy and consulate in Paris expressing their disapproval of Minister of Interior Bassam Mawlawi’s ban on LGBTQ gatherings.  

Afterwards they went to Bistrot XVI, a nearby café,  from where they saw ambassador Adwan, accompanied by a woman and a man believed to be embassy employees, removing the posters. 

When Adwan realized the activists tried to film his actions with their phones, he entered the café and started shouting. One activist reminded him that the Lebanese embassy is supposed to represent the country.

Adwan responded violently, using obscene and vulgar language, and derogatory terms. The activists captured the incident on camera. The video was circulated on social media.

However, Obeid was the main target of the ambassador’s aggression. Adwan forcefully grabbed her left arm and pushed her three times, yet failed to knock her off her chair. He also tried to take her mobile phone. 

The altercation, marked by the ambassador’s shouting and vulgar language, lasted for about half an hour. Throughout, Adwan restricted Obeid’s movements by firmly putting his hand on her shoulder.

The complaint has not been classified as violence against women, as the ambassador’s words did not involve gender discrimination. However, Obeid told Daraj she did not rule out his behavior may have been motivated by misogyny as only she suffered from physical assault. 

Rape 

Obeid’s theory gains credibility seeing the recent accusations of rape, assault and even attempted murder against Adwan, by two (former) female embassy employees, as revealed by Mediapart earlier this month.

Lebanon’s foreign ministry on June 8 recalled Adwan from France after an investigation was opened into the allegations. One employee had filed a complaint in June 2022 for a rape allegedly committed in 2020 in the ambassador’s apartment. A second woman filed a complaint last February following a series of physical attacks after she had turned down his sexual advances.

Obeid told Daraj she had filed a police report in Paris on July 4, 2022. Conform French law, this report was just to document the nature and date of the incident without initiating an investigation. Obeid limited herself to filing the report out of fear the ambassador could take retaliatory actions against the activists. Also, Adwan’s diplomatic immunity prevented legal action to be taken against him.

Now, almost one year after the incident, the circumstances are favorable for converting the report into a formal complaint. The three activists are ready to testify and confirm Obeid’s account without fear of retaliation.  

Obeid admits that the rape and violence allegations against Adwan have weakened his position, which prompted her to take this step, despite the Lebanese state’s refusal to waive his immunity and allow legal proceedings to go ahead.

According to  Obeid, a date has been set for her to meet with a specialist to assess her psychological state. A few months ago she coincidentally encountered Adwan while attending an artistic event. This caused her a lot of tension and anxiety. She was haunted by the Paris incident throughout the event, which could indicate she suffered from shock at the time, the consequences of which continue to affect her today.

Past Behavior 

Anyone who has ever interacted with Adwan in the past few years will not be surprised by his verbal aggression. At a seminar organized by the Lebanese Experts Forum in February 2020, for example, he became very angry when the the battling cry of the 2019 uprising “Kellon Yaani Kellon” (All means all) was raised. 

People attending were stunned by his violent reaction and harsh words. No one understood why he took it so personally,  as the phrase refers to the overall state of corruption in Lebanon, without singling out a specific party or individual.

A similar situation occurred a few months later when he was invited to a seminar organized by political science students commemorating 100 years since the establishment of Greater Lebanon in 1920. This time, in a very calm manner, he “humbly” listed his personal qualities before refusing to accept any gifts to avoid misunderstandings. 

He went on to recall how he once declined to accept a cake, which was offered to him during a business breakfast.  Surprise was written on the faces of those who attended, as his response seemed completely out of context. 

His insistence on defending himself raised questions. Was his behavior an attempt to deflect attention, seeing the “legal and procedural suspicions” surrounding him?

This includes, according to the Al-Akhbar newspaper, his controversial promotion to a second rank diplomat in 2017, despite his prior resignation from the diplomatic arena. This was followed by his appointment as Lebanon’s ambassador to France despite him being from outside diplomatic circles. 

Then there is the 2012 “secret report” sent by the Lebanese Embassy in the Netherlands to Lebanon’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which according to Al Akhbar contains several observations regarding “Adwan’s behavior, his way of dealing with peers, the language used referring to his own country and ministry, as well accusations of crime.” 

There were further doubts among the Lebanese community in France regarding his functioning, as it seemed to mirror the nepotism practiced by the Lebanese state. For instance, according to some student associations, during the evacuation during the COVID-19 crisis, priority was given to students with certain political allegiances. Not to mention the restrictions imposed on activists calling for political change, especially during elections. 

These doubts were reinforced by Adwan’s close relationship with Gebran Bassil who appointed him as head of office during his tenure as Minister of Foreign Affairs.

“A Face of Lebanon”

Does Adwan’s defensive stance stem from a certain validity regarding the suspicions that surround him? Or is it because his mission is to represent the political faction he is affiliated with rather than the country? 

The suspicions arguably only exacerbate the credibility of the complaints filed against him, but let us assume he is innocent.  It is still the right of the Lebanese people in general, and the Lebanese community in France in particular, to question Adwan’s suitability to occupy a sensitive post that requires him to exhibit appropriate behavior as a “face of Lebanon.”

Among the qualities of a successful diplomat are composure, politeness, eloquence, the ability to control one’s emotions when faced with pressure, and making a prior assessment of each conduct or speech. 

In that sense it is worth questioning what image Adwan portrays of his homeland with his emotional outburst and offensive slurs directed at Obeid and her fellow activists while in a bistrot in the presence of others. Some of them attempted to intervene on behalf of the activists, but the café owner, who knew Adwan, stopped them from doing so. 

Does Adwan always exhibit such temperament, which negatively affects Lebanon’s relationship with a country that is one of its most important allies and trade partners?  Or did he insult and mistreat Obeid and her colleagues because he regarded them as vulnerable?

Obeid concluded her interview with Daraj, by saying that the embassy employees who accompanied Adwan while removing the posters and who tried to contain what happened in the café, were actually friendly. They even apologized.