Justice Commission in Progressive Party: Minister of Justice's Decision is Null

The Commission of Justice and Legislation in the Progressive Socialist Party issued a statement saying: "As if the deteriorating state of justice in Lebanon were not enough, amid the police actions affecting the judicial and legal body, from the confiscation of judicial formations to distorting the law on the independence of the judiciary, emptying its content, and the delay in issuing it, even in its distorted form, culminating in a conflict of powers among the main judicial centers, the Minister of Justice comes and continues the oppression by issuing a decision to refer the members of the Administrative Body of the Lebanese Judges Club to the judicial inspection, based on their criticism of the judicial reality and the legal and organizational violations committed." The statement added: "Although the decision of referral is null from the outset since the jurisdiction of judicial inspection can only be based on functional violations that judges may commit in the course of their work, it would have been more appropriate for the Justice Minister, who is hypothetically entrusted with the judiciary, to work on addressing the crises of judicial shortcomings and the professional, moral, and material standing of judges, and to provide suitable working conditions and ensure equality among them without favoritism or nepotism." It continued: "While we are still advocates for activating the work of judicial inspection and pursuing all judges who commit violations regardless of their ranks, we condemn that the referral to judicial inspection came with arbitrary intent from the concerned minister, and we fear that his goal is to encircle and eliminate the licensed and legally recognized Lebanese Judges Club, which has relations with Arab and international legal clubs, associations, and bodies, and is keen on providing oversight and ensuring the proper application of justice in Lebanon."