Today marks the end of the judges' strike in Lebanon, which lasted more than five months, allowing the resumption of work in public prosecutions, investigative departments, and civil and criminal courts. This decision is based on a statement or circular issued by the Supreme Judicial Council, communicated to all judges, in accordance with the agreements made during the general assembly held last week. With the judicial work returning to normal, the judges' crisis concludes with a minor fulfillment of their demands and is expected to alleviate the plight of Lebanese citizens whose cases were suspended, preventing them from filing lawsuits during the complete halt.
A source from the Supreme Judicial Council indicated that "the wheel of justice has begun rolling at the start of the new year and will gain momentum with the end of the holiday break." He pointed out to “Asharq Al-Awsat” that "the President of the Supreme Judicial Council, Judge Sohail Abboud, and the council members were decisive during the general assembly on the necessity of resuming judicial work and not leaving matters subject to disruption." The source, who requested anonymity, stated that "the council's position was clear in supporting all material, moral, and logistical demands of the judiciary, and anything related to the independence of the judicial authority and liberating it from interventions. They informed the judges that their rightful outcry had reached those concerned, and it is imperative for every judge to take on their responsibilities as trusted guardians of justice and people's rights."
The judges' strike has had negative implications for the reality of justice, complicating the resolution of the backlog of cases. However, the source confirmed that "judges will return to work with a dynamism that compensates for the long absence and mitigates the accumulation of files awaiting resolution, whether through indictments or rulings." He noted that "judges are not required to be in their offices five days a week due to long distances separating their homes from their workplaces, but they must attend at least two days and work long hours to reduce the existing backlogs and make up for the lengthy absence." He emphasized that judicial work "will see regularity and a return to its previous state, particularly in public prosecutions that will activate their work, allowing any citizen to go to the public prosecution within their geographical area to file lawsuits, in contrast to the interruption that prevailed in recent months."
Five months ago, Lebanese judges announced an unprecedented decision to strike and completely halt work without exceptions, protesting the reduction of their salaries, which have lost 95% of their value, as well as the absence of medical services, hospitalization, and educational grants. This strike has severely damaged the rights of litigants, making it impossible for hundreds of individuals to file complaints due to the strike and the refusal to accept any inquiries. The strike has also led to the backlog of thousands of unresolved cases and has impacted prisons and detention centers, which are overcrowded with inmates amid delays in adjudicating their releases. The source reassured that "matters will gradually normalize starting next week, with courts beginning to issue delayed rulings and investigating judges starting to release decisions, which will help in the release of hundreds of detainees."
The resolution involved the judges accepting a partial improvement in their salaries while temporarily retaining social assistance. A source involved in the movement stated that "the solution was not comprehensive, and what the judges received does not meet all their demands, but it satisfies some priorities." He explained to “Asharq Al-Awsat” that "what the judges obtained is the increase imposed in the general budget, that is, a salary raise of three times as is the case for all public sector employees." He noted that "the judges' mutual fund continues to provide assistance in 'fresh dollars' ranging from 500 to 1200 dollars per judge, depending on their rank." However, the source remarked that "this amount may decrease, as the judges' mutual fund prioritizes medical assistance; thus, if a judge needs hospital admission, the treatment costs will be deducted from the total amount allocated for all judges."
It seems that the optimistic atmosphere has not yet reached the ears of lawyers, who consider themselves the most affected. The President of the Beirut Bar Association, Nader Kasbar, welcomed any decision issued by the Supreme Judicial Council to lift the strike, stating in a comment to “Asharq Al-Awsat”: "We will erect a statue for the Judicial Council and the judges upon being informed of the strike’s end, but if it continues, we will enter into a predicament." He clarified that "the Bar Associations in Beirut and Tripoli will take a decisive stance within a week or ten days if the strike persists, and we will announce a 'day of rage' that will have significant impact." Kasbar added, "We, as the Bar Associations, played a role in facilitating the judges' demands; however, unfortunately, this strike has created problems between lawyers and their clients, with many lawyers laying off their staff and staying home, which is unacceptable."
