Amnesty slams Lebanon's parliament over sickening sexual harassment of MP Cynthia Zararir

Amnesty International has lambasted the Lebanese parliament over the sexual harassment and bullying of newly elected female MP Cynthia Zarazir.

Zarazir says she was left pornographic magazines, used and new condoms and rotten food in her parliamentary office and has been a victim of catcalling by male MPs.

She said colleagues have also made fun of her name by referring to her to as "sarsour" - Arabic for cockroach - and was refused a proper parking spot.

She spoke out on her social media on Tuesday about the abuse she has faced in parliament.

“I'm being catcalled by men whose misogyny overshadows any healthy masculinity within them, being given a filthy office that had Playboy magazines, unused and dirty condoms in the drawers and on the floor, being bullied because of my name, and not given a parking spot."

“If this is how they treat an elected fellow MP, how will they deal with those who are voiceless?” she tweeted.

منذ دخولي إلى المجلس النيابي لم ألقَ أي احترام يدل على أن من سأتواجد معهم لـ4 سنوات هم بشر أولًا وأناس محترمين ثانيًا، وهنا بعض الشواهد على رفعة أخلاقهم: 1/2

— Cynthia Zarazir - سينتيا زرازير (@CynthiaZarazir) July 26, 2022

The General Secretariat of the Lebanese parliament on Wednesday released a statement which denied Zarazir's account.

“MP Zarazir knows that she and her colleagues, since the first day of her entry into the parliament, were granted everything from a parking lot for her car and a private office,” the statement said.

Adding, “Every word from her, otherwise, is a slander and a denial of the truth.”

Amnesty on Wednesday hit back at the parliament's way of dealing with the abuse Zarazir has received and urged for the end of misogynistic abuse.

"Lawmakers, especially Speaker Nabih Berri, must shoulder the responsibility of ending this abuse of women and stop encouraging a hostile environment for women," Amnesty said in an Arabic-language tweet.

Zarazir on Thursday told An-Nahar newspaper she will carry a gun with her to parliament after consulting the army commander, in what was initially thought to be in response to the sexual harassment and bullying.

She later clarified on her Facebook that the gun was for security purposes since she has not been provided with a bodyguard or adequate protection.

"My question to the Commander of the Army on carrying a personal weapon was for the purpose of personal protection during my daily movements and not in any way related to harassment inside the Parliament. I am moving without any escort or security compliance", she said.