The National News Agency reported that following the decision of the cassation public prosecutor Judge Sobhi Sleiman to suspend the execution of the arrest warrant issued by the investigative judge Tariq Bitar, a new development has occurred. Lawyers Jad Taha and Najib Farhat submitted a second warning petition to all heads of the original and appointed appeals chambers, requesting the convening of the General Assembly of the Court of Cassation to address the cases related to the requests for recusal that have long obstructed the work of the investigative judge in the port case. The next step, in case of non-response to the request within the next ten days, will be the possibility of filing a state liability suit for the actions of its judges and their responsibility for failing to uphold justice, which must be filed within the legally prescribed two-month period.
Upon clarifying with lawyer Dr. Jad Taha, who is a personal claimant in the Beirut Port explosion case, he stated that "the legal battle in this case will continue." He said, "As the door to interpretation is open, we must strive as personal claimants to push forward the investigations, eventually leading to the removal of the case from the realm of secrecy that follows the issuance of the preliminary ruling and referral of the case to the Judicial Council. Only then will we be able to know the truths, allowing the trial procedures to commence, paving the way to seek justice for the wronged and impose penalties on those who deserve them, away from attempts of procrastination or subterfuge." Taha emphasized that there is no legal barrier preventing the General Assembly of the Court of Cassation from convening with its appointed and designated judges, in addition to the original judges from a legal perspective.
He added, "The battle at this stage is purely legal, related to formal defenses that have obstructed the course of the investigations, and we are conducting it objectively. We contributed to preventing the appointment of an alternative judge at one stage, away from showmanship and noise, keeping in mind the interest of all parties in achieving justice." He stated, "Certainly, we will not allow any perpetrator to escape punishment, as no right is lost as long as there is a claimant equipped with calmness and knowledge enriched with wisdom."
