Marwan Charbel

Charbel was born in 1947.[2] He entered the military academy in 1968 and graduated as a lieutenant in 1971.[2] Then he obtained a bachelor's degree in law from Lebanese University in 1981.[3]

Charbel served in various units of the Internal Security Forces.[4] Then he became a major general in the Internal Security Forces.[5] He was the advisor of caretaker interior minister Ziyad Baroud.[6]

In June 2011, he was appointed minister of interior and municipalities to the cabinet led by prime minister Najib Mikati,[7][8] replacing Ziyad Baroud.[9] Charbel is part of the group appointed by President Michel Suleiman in the cabinet.[5][10] His appointment was one of the major points significantly discussed during the negotiation process for the establishment of the cabinet.[10] He is considered to be a friends with both the Lebanese president Michel Sulaiman and the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) leader Michel Aoun.[10] In fact, he is seen as a member of FPM.[8][11]

In 2011, Charbel proposed the hybrid-system reform in regard to legislative elections to be held in 2013.[12] In February 2014, Charbel's term ended when Nouhad Machnouk was appointed to the post.[13][14]

Charbel is married and has three daughters.[6]

In early May 2013 Charbel stated on Al Jadeed TV that Lebanon was opposed to homosexuals (using the derogatory Arabic term for homosexuals, 'liwat') and that homosexuality was a felony in Lebanon. These remarks followed shortly after the controversial raid and closing of a gay-friendly nightclub in Dekwaneh during which it is reported that several gay men and a transgender woman were falsely arrested and abused by security forces acting on the direct instructions of the mayor of Dekwaneh, Antoine Chakhtoura.[15] Charbel's office subsequently posted a clarification on Facebook that Charbel was not passing a judgment, but was merely stating that while gay marriage was recently legalized in France it was still prohibited in Lebanon.[16]