Lebanese citizens have not yet been able to forget the face of six-year-old Lynn Talab, whose story shook public opinion. The girl, who was raped and died in a horrific manner, had her childhood forcibly taken from her and is now waiting for the prosecution panel's ruling to bring her justice posthumously. Many questions remain regarding her case today, especially after some members of the prosecution panel recused themselves for unknown reasons, leading to a delay in the issuance of the prosecution ruling.
On August 31, 2023, the first investigating judge in the North, Samerinda Nassar, issued her indictment decision in the case of Lynn Talab's rape and death after confirming all the evidence and proof. The act of the child's uncle was classified under the crimes of articles 503 and 504 of the Penal Code. Additionally, Lynn's death was classified as premeditated murder under article 549 of this law, and she requested that the uncle, along with her mother, grandfather, and maternal grandmother, be tried for this crime, which carries the death penalty.
This decision brought relief to the hearts of Lebanese citizens, and all eyes turned to the prosecution panel after the file was sent to it. The panel was expected to review the file in detail and conclude its investigations to issue the indictment and refer the defendants to the criminal court. However, this has not yet occurred.
The "Naharnet" learned from sources following the case that "a large number of judges from the panel responsible for evaluating the file have recused themselves, and this recusal has happened several times. The reasons and motivations remain unclear, and there are many speculations, including an attempt to lessen the charges based on article 549, which penalizes premeditated murder, and to consider the crime as 'causing death,' since the penalty for premeditated murder is the death penalty."
While waiting for new members to be assigned to review the file and issue the indictment, Lynn continues to be deprived of pending justice and an indictment that has not yet been issued, even as it approaches a year since her death. According to the source, the concern today is that "the reason for this delay may be due to existing pressures, and nothing is ruled out in this country. Therefore, the family is preparing to mobilize on the ground to ensure Lynn is not killed twice: first at the hands of her mother's family after her rape and the denial of medical care, and concealment of the crime, and the second by succumbing to pressures, procrastination, and delays in holding those involved accountable."
