The fourth anniversary of the Beirut port explosion arrives while the horizon remains blocked for resuming the judicial investigation that has been stalled for two and a half years due to dozens of lawsuits that have restrained investigating judge Tarek Bitar. Meanwhile, the families of the victims commemorate the occasion with deep frustration over the possibility of reaching the truth and identifying those responsible for the August 4, 2020 explosion, which claimed the lives of 230 people, injured more than five thousand, and destroyed a third of the buildings in the capital, Beirut, according to Al-Sharq Al-Awsat.
The families of the victims and activists are expected to begin their actions at five o'clock this afternoon with two demonstrations; the first will start from Martyrs' Square in downtown Beirut, and the second from the Beirut Fire Brigade headquarters in the Karantina area, where they will meet in front of the immigrant statue near the port. Speeches will be delivered by the families of the victims and the injured, along with the legal team that will review the milestones of the investigation and the reasons for its obstruction.
William Noun, brother of victim Joe Noun, expressed hope that "the participation will be widespread and send a message to the officials that the case of the martyrs will remain alive, and no one will be able to erase it." He revealed to Al-Sharq Al-Awsat that "the positions that will be delivered during the meeting converge on one goal, which is to complete the investigation and issue the indictment decision from Judge Tarek Bitar so that the Lebanese know the truth of what happened and who is responsible for this crime that killed our brothers."
Noun did not hide the fact that "the confrontation is difficult with a political team that has only one goal, which is to undermine the investigation, and unfortunately, it has succeeded so far amid a judiciary divided over this case, starting from the Supreme Judicial Council, in response to the political pressures exerted on it by a certain team."
As for whether the families of the victims plan further escalatory actions on the ground if the investigation remains obstructed, Noun clarified that "there is no plan for escalation in the street, awaiting what the investigating judge decides regarding the resumption of the investigation or not."
There will be significant impact from some speeches as they detail the stages the investigation has gone through. Attorney Cecile Rocco, sister of victim Joseph Rocco, told Al-Sharq Al-Awsat that she "will name names in a speech that carries legal implications and reveals all those obstructing the investigation." She noted that she would send a strong message to the Attorney General of Cassation, Judge Jamal Al-Hajjar, as a partner in this case, who can either facilitate or obstruct the investigation.
Since investigating judge Tarek Bitar issued the indictment list in early July 2021, which included the names of politicians and security leaders, a plan to legally besiege him began through dozens of lawsuits brought against him by the accused politicians. This led to the suspension of his proceedings since December 23, 2021, which was the date of the last investigation session held, during which Bitar was informed of a recusal lawsuit filed against him by MPs Ali Hassan Khalil and Ghazi Zaiter, who, along with other politicians, refused to appear before him. However, in mid-January 2023, after 13 months of stalled investigations, Bitar prepared a legal memorandum in which he relied on judicial precedents indicating that "the investigating judge holds a role and importance equivalent to that of the President and members of the Higher Judicial Council, who cannot be recused or objected to."
Bitar announced the resumption of the investigation and set dates for questioning politicians in February 2023. He followed this decision by prosecuting former Attorney General Ghassan Awidat and Attorney General Ghassan Khoury for being aware of the situation concerning warehouse number 12, which contained nitrates at the Beirut port, and not taking action against those responsible for not removing them and failing to order their removal, having closed the investigation that was open at the time.
In response, Awidat promptly prosecuted Bitar for impersonating an investigating judge, issued a warrant for his forcible attendance, and prohibited him from traveling. Awidat also released 17 detainees in the case, ignoring the arrest warrants issued against them.
After Awidat's retirement on February 10, Judge Jamal Al-Hajjar was appointed as the new Attorney General of Cassation. Meetings were held between him and Bitar, which created an atmosphere of optimism regarding the resumption of the investigation, but this optimism soon dissipated following reports about Al-Hajjar's insistence on removing politicians and judges from the case, which Bitar categorically rejected, stating that "the case cannot be fragmented and stripped of its essence."
The existing differences between Al-Hajjar and Bitar returned their relationship and the cooperation between them to square one. However, judicial sources confirmed to Al-Sharq Al-Awsat that this "discrepancy will not leave the investigating judge as a bystander to the obstruction of the investigation." They indicated that Bitar "is waiting for the anniversary of the port explosion to announce the resumption of his work and set sessions to summon all those accused who have not appeared before him. If they refuse to attend the investigation, appropriate decisions will be taken against them."
In response to a question about whether among the measures would be the issuance of absentia arrest warrants, sources announced that this is "one of the legal norms required against any accused who refuses to comply with the investigation," indicating that Bitar "is still committed to what he promised earlier, namely the issuance of the indictment decision before the end of this year," according to Al-Sharq Al-Awsat.
