Culture: The Public Prosecution Will Pursue Some "Heritage Traders" in Tripoli

The media office of the Ministry of Culture stated that "in the date of the issuance of decision number 2023/43 dated 2023/4/25, which allowed the owner of properties number /129/ and /130/ in the Al-Zahriyeh area to proceed with demolishing the remaining part of the building that existed on them, for the sake of public safety. This decision was issued based on urgent information that necessitated it: 1. That there is no longer a building on the mentioned properties, as the building has largely collapsed previously, and only a part remains that is in the process of collapsing. 2. The condition of this remaining part of that building was established through the technical engineering report prepared by the specialized committee after a physical inspection and engineering study, which was affirmed by the content of the Tripoli Municipality letter number 2023/542, and was also confirmed by the collapse that occurred thereafter. 3. The Ministry of Culture could not afford to deny the request for permission to remove the mentioned dilapidated part, lest it puts itself in a position of indifference to public safety, as the property is not located in a remote area to make it possible for the ministry to withhold demolition permission, but rather it is located in a crowded area teeming with passersby every day, exposing them to the risk of the building collapsing on them and consequently causing harm. This would have happened if the collapse occurred during the day, God forbid, because the collapse and damage would have been due to the ministry's obstinacy, especially since the remaining part of the building has recently increased its cracks due to the earthquake and there is currently no capability for its owners or the municipality to take measures to prevent its collapse. 4. The ministry is trying to protect public safety and preserve heritage character, as its decision to allow the demolition of the remaining part of the building included a commitment from the owners not to construct any new building on the mentioned properties unless it conforms in its external shape to the building that was previously there, in order to maintain the general heritage character of the area. 5. The Ministry of Culture has information that some "heritage traders" in beloved Tripoli exploit some of its residents by purchasing stones from heritage buildings to sell them for the construction of a neighboring city. Therefore, it decided to refer a detailed report about this black trade to the competent public prosecution to take necessary action and pursue these individuals, arrest them to set an example for others, and recover the stones to place them exclusively in the service of restoration projects for heritage buildings in Tripoli."