Lebanese banks have moved from a defensive phase against the prosecution by Mount Lebanon's Public Prosecutor Ghada Aoun to an offensive stance, particularly after her decision to seize the homes, cars, and properties of the chairpersons of the six largest Lebanese banks and to prevent them from traveling. Yesterday, Bank "Auda," Bank "Beirut," and Bank "Mediterranean" filed lawsuits against the Lebanese state for the damages caused by the "serious error" committed by the aforementioned prosecutor against them. These lawsuits were recorded in the Civil Cassation Court and the legal representatives of the three banks obtained certified copies, which were sent to the "party responsible for the damage."
According to the law, these lawsuits require Prosecutor Aoun to immediately cease any actions against the suing banks. However, a judicial source revealed to "Anbaa" that the Public Prosecutor in Mount Lebanon "refused to accept a copy of these lawsuits and continues her procedures and investigations on these cases." The source noted that Aoun is "insistently violating the law, knowing that a notification copy of the content of the conflict lawsuits was sent by the President of the Supreme Judicial Council, Judge Suhail Aboud, as he is the head of the General Assembly of the Cassation Court, which is authorized to review and decide on the mentioned cases."
In contrast, the Association of Banks in Lebanon, through its legal representative attorney Akram Azouri, has filed a lawsuit before the Appeals Court in Mount Lebanon, chaired by Judge Rima Shbaro, requesting the dismissal of Judge Aoun and her recusal from any action or investigation regarding the banks' files. The association considered that Aoun is "acting maliciously and has an antagonistic stance towards the Lebanese banks and their officials, which causes severe damage to the entire banking sector."
Attorney Azouri confirmed to "Anbaa" that Judge Aoun "prevented the server (responsible for notifying her) from entering her office so that she would not receive the lawsuit and become obliged to disengage herself from the file," noting that "the Appeals Court has repeatedly failed to notify the said judge of the content of the lawsuit." He explained that "he filed a new memorandum with the Appeals Court requesting that Aoun be legally considered notified and for the court to begin looking into the matter of her dismissal and removal from the banks' files."
It is noteworthy that similar lawsuits have been filed against investigative judge Tarek Bitar in the Beirut port explosion case, compelling the latter to recuse himself from the case as soon as he was notified of any such lawsuits, and the port file remains frozen pending resolution.
