The public prosecutor of the Mount Lebanon appeal court, Judge Ghada Aoun, underwent a lengthy interrogation yesterday morning before the head of the disciplinary council for judges, Judge Jamal Al-Hajjar. She appeared before him with her defense attorney present. A judicial source familiar with the matter told "Asharq Al-Awsat" that Aoun "appeared as a defendant for committing many violations and breaches in several open cases before her, based on complaints submitted against her by those affected, as well as based on a recommendation from the judicial inspection authority, after making political statements and positions to the media and through social media, without the approval of the Minister of Justice or the Supreme Judicial Council."
The judicial source explained that Al-Hajjar interrogated Aoun "in his capacity as the rapporteur of the disciplinary council, and he will submit his report to the council in the coming days for discussion and to issue a penalty against her according to a recommendation based on her testimony, after her attorney presents a defense plea and refutes the allegations against her." The judicial source stated, "The defendant judge has the right to appeal the disciplinary council's decision before the higher disciplinary authority, which is headed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Council, if she is convicted and finds the penalty harsh and unjust. Additionally, the judicial inspection authority has the right to appeal the decision if it decides to acquit this judge or if it finds the penalty lenient."
Judge Ghada Aoun, supported by President Michel Aoun, is accused of "deliberately opening judicial files and initiating prosecutions against figures in conflict with the presidency and with the head of the Free Patriotic Movement, Gebran Bassil, including the Governor of the Central Bank of Lebanon, Riad Salameh, and senior Lebanese banks, while ignoring the lawsuit brought before her against Al-Qard Al-Hassan, affiliated with Hezbollah, and taking no action regarding this case. Moreover, the aforementioned judge completely refuses to acknowledge dismissal lawsuits against her, and she persists in her procedures, surpassing the Code of Criminal Procedure, and disregards the decision of the Public Prosecutor, Ghassan Oueidat, who dismissed her from investigating financial cases."
