Lebanese President Michel Aoun called on judges in Lebanon to rise up for their dignity and authority and not to fear the oppression of influential figures, as they know their weakness in front of the judges when they carry out their message of earthly justice while awaiting divine justice. As soon as President Aoun made this call, judges responded by protesting their situation, with more than 350 judges ceasing work in protest of their living conditions. But what are the implications of this unprecedented step in the judicial sector?
Former Head of the State Council Judge Choukri Sader tells "Al-Markazia": "If someone wants to sell their house worth $500,000, they might be willing to sell it for $400,000, $300,000, or even $200,000 in hard times. However, if they are offered $50,000, they will certainly refuse, preferring to set it on fire and watch it burn instead, because that would mean the owner is being 'foolish.' What is happening with the judges is similar to this situation. They have been patient, paying out of their pockets and borrowing from their families, as they can no longer continue and secure the minimum requirements for a decent living. A judge who, in 2019, received 4.5 million lira, which was equivalent to $3,000, now finds that it equals $105. Judges also have obligations for food, drink, school fees, housing loans, rent, and other expenses. How can they manage all of this when the $100 they receive barely covers their commute to work?"
Sader adds: "We all know the scale of bribery in state public jobs, yet a judge cannot accept anything outside their salary, or else they cease to be a judge. How will they survive? Judges have tried to voice their concerns in civilized ways, but to no avail. There is a ruling clique that understands only the methods they know. Why is the judge expected to sacrifice everything while their peers in the public sector have their salaries corrected? The judge can no longer sustain this; all they want is to live with dignity. Thus, this uprising arose from a wounded heart. For a judge to reach this point means they have exhausted all avenues, realizing none are effective with such a ruling class."
He continues: "I am surprised how the ruling class does not recognize this pain and seems only to understand when strikes occur, roads are blocked, and nails are thrown; this is the language understood by the ruling authority. However, judges do not want to adopt these methods; they prefer to send a message to the authority that 'you do not want justice to function, thus we will remain in our homes, and when you think about securing the minimum essentials for a decent life, we will return.' It is shameful what is happening. They ask the judge to bring their pen, paper, and computer because there is no stationery in the administration, a lantern because electricity is not secured, a broom to clean their office, a generator subscription, and even to buy a water tank and share in the cost because there is no water either. How can a judge secure all this with the $100 they receive? The situation has become unbearable; the means for a decent living are no longer available. How can a judge remain silent? If I were in office, I would take the initiative as the Head of the State Council or the Supreme Judicial Council because I know the true value of this political class that only understands this way. Let judges strike and let the state live without a judiciary and 'scatter' on the world stage, not just scatter in Beirut; this political class does not care about judges, even though they are authority figures, not employees. For thirty years, judges have stood apart from ordinary employees, and indeed, they issued a series of salaries for the public sector and a special series for the judiciary because judges are authority figures, so they should not be treated as they are today."
He asks: "Does this apply to all sectors and public institutions? Is electricity cut off in Parliament, the ministers, or the Presidency? Are paper, ink, and other supplies unavailable? Is it acceptable for a judge to bring their papers and ink to print rulings issued in the name of the Lebanese people? Is the judge providing the people with paper and ink? I understand the judges and this uprising. You cannot communicate with this authority except in the language they understand. You cannot engage civilly with people who are uncivilized. They still live in a feudal state, and no one wants a state of justice and law."
Sader concludes: "I direct my appeal as someone who has lived with this family, I am one of them and know the judges' suffering. I hope they do not back down from the strike, especially since it is painful and hurtful. We do not want to decide on urgent or humanitarian cases either. Before you ask us to treat others humanely, treat us this way so that we can also treat the people humanely. The politicians will be more inconvenienced by this step, especially since they have many issues pending with the judges affiliated with them. Everyone will be affected, but how will we express our pain? Here, I recall Yasser Arafat, who was willing to pay $100,000 for a page in the New York Times to publicize the Palestinian issue in 1967 regarding the fedayeen, but his request was denied. He raised the price to $200,000, and it was still refused because Israel controls American media. So he hijacked a plane, after which the whole world began talking about the Palestinian issue; the world did not understand except in this way. Sometimes, a person exhausts all peaceful avenues and defenses, but the ruling class does not understand in a civilized manner. To conclude, isn't it better for 90% of judges to resign? The judge has become indifferent, and it is better that no one threatens them. They threaten them with losing their position; where is this position? The authority can no longer threaten judges because they have stripped them of all their privileges. Most importantly, judges should not back down from their decision until their demands for cleaning contracts in the courts, securing fuel for generators, stationery, and the requirements for a decent living, as well as fuel for transportation, etc., are actually met."
