"Unified": Depositors Protest in Front of Beirut Court

The "Cry of Depositors" Association organized a protest in front of the Beirut Court, attended by depositors and lawyers from the "Unified" coalition, in objection to the State Consultative Council's failure to nullify the unjust circulars against depositors. The coalition's lawyers have submitted petitions for annulment to the council, with one filed under number 2022/24861 regarding circulars 151 and 158, and another filed on behalf of the association regarding circular 158 under number 2021/24702. However, neither petition has been addressed to date, despite one having been submitted since 2021, and regardless of its unconstitutionality or illegality. According to a statement from "Unified," depositors condemned "the complicity of the judiciary with the bank owners and the politicians behind them, which has stripped it of justice and rendered it a corrupt judiciary." Lawyer George Khater from the coalition expressed regret over the Lebanese judiciary's downfall, stating it has allowed the country to be ruled by the law of the jungle by a gang of thieves protected by the judiciary instead of being held accountable. Association President Alaa Khoury emphasized that "the patience of the depositors has run out, and they will resort to the use of force again if swift judicial decisions are not issued in their favor." The statement mentioned that several depositors, including doctor Pascal Rassi, spoke out, with Rassi comparing the judiciary "to medicine that turns into poison when justice is lost." Khoury met with the President of the State Consultative Council at the court to convey the depositors' demands. The protesters also affirmed their determination to pursue the bank thieves until they recover their full deposits.