MP Cynthia Zarazir Protests Inside Byblos Bank Antelias

Cynthia Zarazir, the elected MP for Beirut, is currently staging a protest inside Byblos Bank’s Antelias branch to demand that a portion of her frozen deposit be handed over. The MP is asking for $8,500 to cover cost of surgery.

She is reportedly unarmed and accompanied by a group. It is unclear how this situation will play out and whether her parliamentary immunity applies in this circumstance. It is also unclear why even parliamentary health insurance can not cover the surgery expense.

#Lebanon : MP Cynthia Zarazir has entered branch of bank in #Beirut unarmed & with group of associates to demand access to her frozen account from Byblos Bank to pay for surgery # # pic.twitter.com/eiuX07D5XX

— sebastian usher (@sebusher) October 5, 2022

The MP’s intrusion comes amidst a wave of bank hold ups occurring across the country. It appears that today may be another day of escalation for depositors against the banks holding their funds.