Charles Rizk

Charles Rizk (Arabic: شارل رزق‎) (born 20 July 1935) is a Lebanese Maronite politician, who served at different cabinet posts.

Charles Rizk
Minister of Justice
In office
July 2005 – July 2008
PresidentEmile Lahoud
Michel Suleiman
Prime MinisterFouad Siniora
Succeeded byIbrahim Najjar
Personal details
Born (1935-07-20) 20 July 1935
NationalityLebanese

Early life and education

Rizk was born on 20 July 1935.[1] He studied at the prestigious Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris,[2] and received a PhD in law.[1]

Career

Rizk was a faculty member at Lebanese University until he joined politics.[1] He began his political career as an aide to President Fuad Chehab. He was Lebanon's representative at the Francophonie.[2] Then he became director general of the information ministry in 1967.[1] From 1978 to 1983 he served as the head of the state television station Tele Liban.[1]

At the beginning of 2005, Rizk was appointed information minister.[1] In July 2005, then Prime Minister Fouad Siniora controversially appointed Rizk as justice minister, a post claimed by Michel Aoun and also by Saad Hariri.[3] The appointment of Rizk, a man close to president Lahoud, was opposed as it was felt that the investigation into the murder of Rafik Hariri would be unlikely to be pursued vigorously by a pro-Lahoud minister. Rizk silenced critics by giving the investigation under UNIIIC-Commissioner Detlev Mehlis his full support while later on he became an outspoken critic of Mehlis' successor Serge Brammertz because of his alleged inactivity in the ongoing investigation.[2]

Rizk's term as justice minister lasted until July 2008. He was not appointed to the national unity government headed by Fouad Siniora and was replaced by Ibrahim Najjar.[4]

Rizk was one the candidates for the Lebanese presidency in 2007.[1]

References
  1. "Lebanon leading presidential candidates". Lebanon Wire. 23 September 2007. Archived from the original on 20 January 2013. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  2. "Charles Rizk". Fanoos. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  3. "Anti-Syrians dominate in cabinet lineup". The New York Times. 20 July 2005. Retrieved 11 December 2010.
  4. "Lebanon's 'unity cabinet' announced". Ya Libnan. 11 July 2008. Archived from the original on 11 November 2013. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
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