The Lebanese authorities have spent the past year "brazenly" obstructing the victims' search for truth and justice in the wake of the catastrophic explosion in the port of Beirut, the first anniversary of which falls in two days, Amnesty International said.
More than 217 people were killed and 7,000 injured when 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate exploded in the port of Beirut on August 4, 2020. The explosion caused the displacement of 300,000 people and caused widespread destruction and devastation, and damaged buildings up to 20 km from the site of the explosion. kilometers.
Lebanese authorities promised a prompt investigation;
Instead, Amnesty International says of the authorities, they have "brazenly obstructed the course of justice at every turn, reluctant to deliver it despite the persistent campaign by survivors and victims' families for justice and criminal accountability".
She added that the Lebanese authorities' tireless efforts throughout the year to protect officials from being investigated repeatedly obstructed the investigation's progress, noting that the Lebanese authorities dismissed the first judge appointed to investigate after summoning political figures for questioning, and the authorities continue - so far - In rejecting and delaying the requests of the new investigative judge to lift the immunity of members of the House of Representatives, and questioning senior officials in the security services about the tragedy.
“The Lebanese government has tragically failed to protect the lives of its people, just as it has failed for far too long to protect basic socio-economic rights,” said Lynn Maalouf, Deputy Middle East and North Africa Director at Amnesty International. "The judge to summon the political officials, dealt another blow to the Lebanese people. Given the scale of this tragedy, it is astonishing to see the extent to which the Lebanese authorities are prepared to go to protect themselves from the investigation."
The organization called on the Human Rights Council to determine whether the state's behavior caused or contributed to the occurrence of unlawful deaths, as described.