Three Judges Refused to Assume This Task

Former Minister of Justice Charles Rizk commented on the repercussions surrounding the appointment of an alternate judge for the lead investigator in the Beirut port explosion, stating in a call with "An-Nahar" yesterday that "a decision made during my term to appoint a judge in the case of the assassination of Prime Minister Rafik Hariri during the absence of the original investigative judge is being used as justification. I hope that Minister of Justice Henry Khoury has the moral courage to take responsibility for his decisions and not rely on illusory decisions made by others nearly 20 years ago" to share in a responsibility he seems unable to bear. The move to appoint an alternate judge has faced growing opposition, as "An-Nahar" learned that three judges—Eli Helo, Fadi Anisi, and Samer Leich—refused to take on this role. Lebanese international judge Ralph Riyashi stated in an interview with "An-Nahar" that appointing an investigative judge for a vacant position is completely illegal.