Lebanon: temporary seizure of property of deputies accused in the case of the explosion of the port of Beirut

The port of Beirut the day after the devastating explosion, August 5, 2020 (illustrative image).

© AP - Hussein Malla

Text by: RFI Follow

1 min

Lebanese justice ordered, Wednesday, August 10, the temporary seizure of the property of two deputies accused in the case of the explosion of the port of Beirut, which two years ago left 220 dead, 6,500 injured and destroyed part of the Lebanese capital.

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With our correspondent in Beirut,

The court decision against Ali Hassan Khalil and Ghazi Zeaiter follows a complaint filed by the Beirut Bar.

The two deputies are accused of having “ 

»

One hundred billion Lebanese pounds

Judge Najah Itani issued a temporary seizure order worth 100 billion Lebanese pounds on the MPs' assets, the equivalent of more than three million dollars.

Prosecuted for “criminal negligence”, the two politicians, members of the Amal movement of the leader of Parliament Nabih Berry never appeared before judge Tarek Bitar, in charge of the port investigation.

They chose a strategy of obstruction by filing more than twenty appeals under various pretexts before the courts.

The special court never tried anyone

Result: the investigation has been blocked since December 2021. The two deputies and several former ministers refuse to appear before Tarek Bitar.

Supported by Nabih Berry and part of the political class, they affirm that politicians cannot be prosecuted by criminal justice.

Only a high court formed by Parliament can hold them to account.

Except that this special tribunal, provided for by the Constitution, has never tried anyone.

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