BEIRUT: Lebanese army commandos were deployed on Saturday to block roads in sensitive areas after calls for rival rallies in front of the Justice Palace in Beirut circulated on social media.
The first rally was announced by families of the victims of the Beirut port blast to support investigating judge Tarek Bitar and denounce his dismissal.
A second protest was called by supporters of Hezbollah and the Amal Movement. Their march was to support prosecutor general judge Ghassan Oueidat, who has brought charges against Bitar over his handling of the inquiry and who ordered the release of detainees who are suspects in the port blast
On Oct. 14, 2021, the area witnessed bloody events reminiscent of Lebanon’s civil war. Demonstrators supported by Hezbollah and the Amal Movement headed to the Justice Palace to protest against Bitar, where clashes with a rival group resulted in six deaths.
They also demanded that the judicial formations decree be signed and the legal provisions obstructing the investigation into the port explosion be amended.
Until now, no indictment has been issued, as Bitar was removed from the case following complaints filed against him by politicians charged in the case with “possible intentional killing” and “functional negligence.”
Judge Bitar on Monday resumed the investigation based on his legal interpretation, following a 13-month halt over legal challenges raised by politicians accused in the probe. He also charged more than a dozen senior political, judicial and security officials, including Oueidat and top internal security chief Abbass Ibrahim , a key ally of Hezbollah .
Nizar Saghieh, Lebanese lawyer and executive director of Legal Agenda, was quoted as saying: “Since the moment Bitar decided to resume his work based on a legal study he conducted, he knew that he will be confronting everyone. He decided to break his silence so he could issue his indictment in the crime.”
Saghieh said that it was weird how security authorities threatened them with civil war whenever they wanted to hold any powerful figure accountable. “We, the people, will remain victims if no one is held accountable.”
Saghieh added: “What is clear now is that judge Bitar is fighting back. They accused Bitar of receiving directions from foreign embassies; however, judge Oueidat was the one to release a US detainee. They accused Bitar of not prosecuting any judge; however, he prosecuted four judges, including judge Oueidat. All the accusations against Bitar have fallen. So what excuses are they going to use to remove him from the case?”
On Wednesday, Oueidat ordered the release of all suspects detained in the investigation into the blast and filed charges against Bitar.
Among those released by Oueidat was Beirut port head of security Mohammed Ziad Al-Ouf, a dual-American Lebanese citizen who eventually left for the US.
Meanwhile, 41 opposition MPs released a statement on Friday denouncing Bitar’s dismissal as lead investigator in the case. The statement is seen as a challenge to Hezbollah and Amal, who have been campaigning for Bitar’s dismissal because all the suspects are their Allies
The opposition MPs rejected any “prejudice to the prerogatives of the judicial investigator, by appointing any substitute judge.” They also called for “the resumption of the investigation from the point it reached, as well as a quick issuance of the indictment and its referral to the Judicial Council.”
Opposition MP Halima Kaakour said: “The problem is that the political power is interfering with the judiciary, which leads to the degradation of the judicial system, followed by a complete collapse of the state.”
Kaakour added: “Oueidat should be held accountable for his illegal actions aiming to obliterate the investigation.”
One of the key suspects in the port blast is former Public works minister Ghazi Zaiter is Oueidat’s brother-in -law for this reason Oueidat initially reclused himself from the investigation to avoid any conflict of interest
The ministry of Public works is responsible for the port and Zaiter was the minister when the chemical that caused the blast was confiscated and illegally stored for seven years .
Arab News/ Ya Libnan
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